BBS Tropical Bryology Group - Progress in 2003

Price MP. 2003. BBS Tropical Bryology Group: Progress in 2003. Field Bryology 84: 26.

During 2003, a document was compiled reporting on the first fifteen years of the Tropical Bryology Group (TBG). This was published in Field Bryology 83: 23-30, and is also available on the BBS TBG website at http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/bbstbg/tbg66.pdf. The TBG website is also accessible via the BBS website from the Activities or Bryology Portal buttons. The document summarises the activities of the TBG up to 2002, as well as providing a listing of all publications produced by TBG members through the various TBG research focus areas or projects (especially Malawi and Uganda). A great deal of progress, mostly effected under the guidance of the longstanding TBG coordinator Brian O’Shea, has been made by TBG members under the various objectives outlined in the original TBG discussion paper (document 1 on the TBG website).

The 18th TBG newsletter was produced in August 2003 and is available on the TBG web site. It covered the mosses and liverworts of Uganda (MALOU) and Malawi projects, ideas for future expeditions, information on the Eustace Jones Flora of West African hepatics, a report of the 5th Tropical African training course, news from the bryology research group in Göttingen and information from TBG members.

There were three new TBG members in 2003:
* Dr. Christine Cargill, Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian National Herbarium, Canberra, Australia
* Prof. Dr. Eberhard Fischer, Institut für Biologie, Universität Koblenz-Landau, Koblenz Germany
* Aino Juslén, Nationaal Herbarium Nederland, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands

During 2003, advances were made on several projects involving TBG members (Mosses and Liverworts of Uganda, E.W. Jones’ Flora of West African hepatics and Guide to Bryophytes of Africa), as described in the 18th TBG newsletter. This is especially true of the E.W. Jones’ Flora of West African hepatics book which was nearing completion by the end of 2003. We now come to a point where we can build upon the success of the first fifteen years of TBG activities with a continued effort to focus on bryophyte research in Africa, as well as develop new research objectives and directions.

Contributions to the TBG are very welcome and members of the BBS with an interest, or potential interest, in tropical bryophytes are encouraged to contact the current TBG coordinator, Michelle Price.

Michelle Price, Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques, Case Postale 60, CH-1292 Chambèsy-GE, Switzerland; e-mail: Michelle.Price@cjb.ville-ge.ch.