How isolated is Antarctica Assessing past and present plant colonisations

The project aims to assess how biologically isolated Antarctica is by discovering how, when and where natural colonisations of the continent have occurred. The research will focus on mosses, the dominant plant group in the Antarctic. Cutting-edge genomic tools will be combined with environmental, spatial, and ecological data to assess mechanisms and directions of dispersal to and around Antarctica, and to predict areas most likely to be colonised in the future. The research will help us to understand i) the processes underpinning the evolution and diversity of Antarctic species, and ii) the vulnerability and adaptability of Antarctic ecosystems. Such knowledge is critical for Antarctic conservation in the face of rapid environmental change.