
John R. SpenceCalifornia Academy of Sciences · Science & Resource Management
John R. Spence
PhD
Research continuing on the moss family Bryaceae with an emphasis on South America.
About
129
Publications
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Introduction
My main research interests include bryophyte systematics, especially of Bryaceae and Leskeaceae, bird monitoring and surveys, rare plant monitoring, vegetation classification and biogeography. Current projects include the Flora of Australia, Flora of the Cape Horn Islands, Bryaceae taxonomy from around the world, Colorado Plateau vegetation classification, SW US rare plants, and grazing-climate change research in arid systems.
Additional affiliations
January 1998 - present
Northern Arizona Univeristy
Position
- Adjunct Curator - Deaver Herbarium (ASC)
September 1989 - present
Education
August 1980 - August 1986
August 1977 - June 1980
August 1974 - June 1977
Publications
Publications (129)
Three species in the genus Gemmabryum J.R. Spence & H.P. Ramsay are described and illustrated. Two species, G. brassicoides J.R. Spence & K.M. Kellman and G. vinosum J.R. Spence & K.M. Kellman, are new to science. The third species, G. californicum (Sull.) J.R. Spence, previously considered to be part of G. dichotomum (Hedw.) J.R. Spence & H.P. Ram...
The birds of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, in southern Utah and northern Arizona, are documented, with information on abundance, distribution, ecology, residency status, and breeding status. In all, 316 species have been reported from the park since the first surveys in the region during the 1930s. Historical survey data from the pre-Glen C...
The Escalante River is one of the last free-flowing small rivers in the Intermountain West. The headwater sources are on Boulder Mountain in southern Utah where numerous streams eventually unite to form the river, which then flows 150 km to Lake Powell. In addition to a relatively natural hydrograph, the river supports some of the last majo stands...
Bryum flabelliforme, a new facultative rheophytic moss, is described based on detailed morphological and molecular evidence. Examination of historical and recent specimens revealed that this moss has had a long history of confusion with several members of the Bryaceae that have rounded leaf apices. It has a broad distribution in North America, from...
A preliminary study of the genus Rosulabryum J.R. Spence in Chile is presented, with brief species descriptions, notes on ecology and distributions, and a taxonomic key. The following 12 species are confirmed with vouchered specimens; Rosulabryum andicola (Hook.) Ochyra, Rosulabryum billarderii (Schwägr.) J.R. Spence, Rosulabryum campylothecium (Ta...
Haplodontium altunense X.R.Wang & S.Mamtimin, a new moss species of the family Bryaceae from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China is described and illustrated. Genetic analysis based on ITS sequences shows that this species is a member of the Bryaceae and in the same clade as Anomobryum . Particularly distinctive features of the new species incl...
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area covers large and geographically unique regions of southern Utah and northern Arizona. However, multiple surveys of bats from 1952 to 2017 have not been published. Prior to 2015, most bat surveys in the recreation area were conducted using mist nets only and did not include acoustic monitoring. In this paper we c...
New combinations in the genus Rosulabryum J.R. Spence are made for 11 species of Bryum Hedw. from South America and Madagascar: Rosulabryum albomarginatum (Cardot ex Thér.) J.R. Spence, Rosulabryum appressum (Ren. & Cardot) J.R. Spence, Rosulabryum atenense (R.S. Williams) J.R. Spence, Rosulabryum aubertii (Schwägr.) J.R. Spence, Rosulabryum colora...
Natural springs in water‐limited landscapes are biodiversity hotspots and keystone ecosystems that have a disproportionate influence on surrounding landscapes despite their usually small size. Some springs served as evolutionary refugia during previous climate drying, supporting relict species in isolated habitats. Understanding whether springs wil...
The genus Ptychostomum (Bryaceae, Bryopsida) is examined from southern South America including southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego regions of Argentina and Chile south of 50o S latitude. Five new combinations transferred from Bryum are made; Ptychostomum dicarpum (E.B. Bartram) J.R. Spence, Ptychostomum chorizodontum (Card. & Broth.) J.R. Spenc...
Revised keys to the Bryaceae flora of Australia and its offshore islands are presented, including new keys to genera and to species within each genus. Sixty named species and two undetermined taxa are included in the treatments. Leptostomopsis pulchra (Hook.) Ochyra & Bedn.-Ochyra is reported from near Melbourne, Victoria as a new genus and species...
Fifty mosses are reported new for the island of Kauaʻi. Sixteen species represent the first collection for the State of Hawaiʻi and are indicated by an asterisk (*). The moss flora of Kauaʻi is comprised of 170 taxa.
Along rivers, native and invasive species may establish and persist on active channel bedforms as part of channel narrowing. Using historical aerial photography and dendrochronology, we quantified spatial and temporal patterns of narrowing and vegetation expansion, including native Fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontii) and non‐native Russian olive...
Bryum campylopodioides Müll. Hal., previously known only from the type locality in China, is here reported new to Southwest Asia, based on a specimen from West Azerbaijan Province (NW Iran). The species is illustrated and its taxonomic placement discussed.
Imbribryum torenii J.R. Spence & Shevock is described and illustrated. This species appears related to I. alpinum (Hudson ex Withering) N. Pedersen and I. muehlenbeckii (Bruch & Schimper) N. Pedersen. Imbribryum torenii is readily distinguished from these two species by a combination of characters including broadly ovate leaves, short excurrent cos...
The riparian zone of the Colorado River ecosystem (CRE) in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Grand Canyon National Park has been highly altered by the construction and operations of Glen Canyon Dam since 1963, particularly through reduced flood frequency, reduced sediment transport, and colonization by nonnative tamarisk (Tamarix spp) and ot...
A set of all Bryaceae of California and Oregon sorted. This can be used as a random access key.
Forty-two mosses and three liverworts are reported as new for Nevada. The genera Amblyodon, Campyliadelphus, Isopterygiopsis, Mesoptychia, Myurella, Plagiobryoides, Plagiobryum, Platydictya, Pseudocampylium, and Preissia are new for the state of Nevada. Splachnobryum obtusum and Pseudoleskeella rupestris are now confirmed for Nevada based on recent...
We conducted monthly boat surveys of aquatic birds on Lake Powell from September to April each year from 1994 to 1997. The surveys were standard- ized in seven designated areas on the reservoir. Each survey took three days and was done by two experienced birders and a boat pilot. In all, we recorded 72,549 detections of 57 species on 19 monthly sur...
The treatment of the family Bryaceae for Australia is updated based on recent taxonomic studies. Two species of Ptychostomum: P. pallescens (Scheicher ex Schwagr.) J.R.Spence from Tasmania and P. bimum (Schreb.) J.R.Spence from New South Wales, Tasmania and Western Australia are newly recorded. Reported for the first time is the tropical species Ge...
Ptychostomum pacificum J. R. Spence & Shevock, a new and highly distinctive species restricted to fen habitats within coniferous forests in California, Oregon, and extreme western Nevada is described and illustrated. This species appears to be related to P. turbinatum (Hedw.) J. R. Spence but is easily distinguished by a combination of features inc...
Abstract Spence, John R.,National Herbarium of New South Wales, Mrs. Macquaries Road, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia) 2002. The genus Anomobryum Schimp. (Bryopsida, Bryaceae) in Australia. Telopea 9(4) 777‐792. The genus Anomobryum,has been revised for Australia and five species are recognized: A. auratum (Mitt.) A. Jaeger, A. h...
Chowder Ridge, a high elevation area near Mt. Baker, Washington State, possesses a moss flora of 77 species based on collections made during two visits. Three species, Dicranum muehlenbeckii B.S.G., Rhacomitrium microcarpon (Hedw.) Brid., and Mnium arizonicum Amann, are reported new to Washington State. Coscinodon calyptratus (Hook.) C Jens. and Gr...
Rhacomitrium pacificum, from western British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California, is described as new. The species is apparently related to R. heterostichum (Hedw.) Brid.
Recent floristic and herbarium work has revealed four species of the Bryaceae new to North America north of Mexico. Brachymenium exile is reported from southern Florida, while Brachymeniun vinosulum is reported from springs in Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. Bryum mildeanum is reported from Maine and the mountains of Colorado, while Bryum veronen...
The family Roelliaceae is newly described for the western North American monotypic endemic Roellia roellii. The new section Gemmabryum section Tuberibryum is described and typified by Gemmabryum violaceum. Bryum section Cladodium is transferred to Ptychostomum, and Bryum section Caespitibryum is transferred to Gemmabryum. Nine species are transferr...
For the Flora of North America Project, five species are transferred to Rosulabryum J. R. Spence (Bryaceae). Two weedy European species, Bryum bornholmense Winkelmann & R. Ruthe and B. rubens Mitten, are transferred based on morphology and recent molecular results, as R. bornholmense (Winkelmann & R. Ruthe) J. R. Spence and R. rubens (Mitten) J. R....
Thirty-four mosses and two liverworts are reported new for the state of Nevada. The moss family Scouleriaceae is new for the state. Genera new for Nevada include: Blindia, Dichodontium, Eucladium, Molendoa, Orthodicranum, Porotrichum, Pterigynandrum, Rhizomnium, Roellia and Scouleria.
Navajo Point, on the southeast tip of the Kaiparowits Plateau, supports Pinus edullis Engelm. var edulis-Juniperus osteosperma (Torrey) Little (piñon-juniper) woodlands undisturbed by large wildfires in the recent past. We developed a fire history and characterized the current fuel structure and plant biodiversity in the piñon-juniper woodlands on...
Two hornworts, five liverworts, and 24 mosses are reported new for the state of Nevada. The phylum Anthocerotophyta as represented by the families Anthocerotaceae and Notothyladaceae, the liverwort families Antheliaceae, Cleveaceae, Fossombroniaceae, and Pseudolepicoleaceae, and the moss family Bruchiaceae are all new for the state. Genera new for...
A checklist of the 310 bryophyte taxa (two hornworts, 46 liverworts and 262 mosses) reported to occur within the political boundaries of the state of Nevada is presented. 238 new county records are also listed. Notes are provided for species with complex synonymies, taxonomic difficulties or interesting histories. This checklist is intended to impr...
The genus Ptychostomum Hornsch. is resurrected for species of Bryum in sections Amblyophyllum and Caespitibryum, with 32 well established species found in North America transferred. The section Leptostomopsis of Brachymenium is raised to generic rank, with the one species found in North American transferred. The genus Plagiobryoides is newly descri...
Symphyotrichum expansum (Puepp ex Spreng.) Nesom is reported new to Utah from the Escalante River drainage. A major range extension is reported for Aralia racemosa L. in the Escalante drainage, and additional populations are reported of the rare species Imperata brevifolia Vasey in Utah, including the 1st record for the Grand Staircase-Escalante Na...
Regulated river restoration through planned flooding involves trade-offs be- tween aquatic and terrestrial components, between relict pre-dam and novel post-dam re- sources and processes, and between management of individual resources and ecosystem characteristics. We review the terrestrial (wetland and riparian) impacts of a 1274 m 3/s test flood...
Spence, J.R.1 and Ramsay, H.P.2 (1National Park Service, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, P.O. Box 1507, Page, AZ 86040 USA, 2National Herbarium of New South Wales, Mrs Macquaries Road, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia) 1999. Three new species of Rosulabryum (Bryopsida, Bryaceae) from Australia. Telopea 8(3): 325-335. Three s...
Chromosome numbers in Australasian taxa of the family Bryaceae are now available for eight species of the genus Bryum, for five species of the genus Rosulabryum and for a single species in each of the genera Orthodontium, Brachymenium, Leptobryum and Pohlia from Australia. Data are also given for two species of Bryum from New Zealand and for two sp...
The biogeography of Bryum and its relatives in the tropical and subtropical regions of north-eastern Queensland is analysed. The flora is small compared to other tropical areas, with six genera and 30 species. This low diversity results from the lack of high mountains in the study area. The principal floristic affinities are widespread – cosmopolit...
The genus Rosulabryum is newly described in the Bryaceae. It comprises the species in section Capillaria (Rosulata and Trichophora) of Bryum. These species are characterized by rosulate leaves that are obovate with denticulate to serrate upper margins and have Rhodobryum-like areolation, rhizoidal tubers, capsules with unreduced peristomes, and sma...
Similarity graph analysis using Gower's coefficient of similarity was performed on a group of 23 genera assembled from the Leskeaceae, Pterigynandraceae and Thuidiaceae. Results using 14 gametophytic characters support the generic placement and family limits proposed by W. R. Buck and H. Crum in 1990 with only two exceptions. Bryohaplocladium is sh...
The vegetation and flora of 22 tinajas (bedrock depressions filled with water) and six hanging gardens in Jurassic age Navajo Sandstone in the Waterpocket Fold, Capitol Reef National Park, were investigated. Tinajas supported more species than the hanging gardens, and included riparian obligates like Phragmites australis, Typha latifolia, and speci...
An updated checklist of the vascular flora of Bryce Canyon National Park is presented, including 458 species arranged in 232 genera and 73 families. Four species have been added to the park list based on 1991 fieldwork: Arabis perennans, Arceuthobium divaricatum, Gentiana parryi, and Haplopappus acaulis. Recent changes in nomenclature have been inc...
Levels of seed predation were recorded between 1986 and 1992 in Chionochloa pattens, C. oreophila, C. flavescens, C. macra, and C. crassiuscula populations at various altitudes at three sites in Canterbury. There were consistently high levels of attack by a chloropid fly, Diplotoxa similis: between 22 and 94% of florets showed evidence of fly damag...
Five glacial-interglacial cycles are known on Mount Kenya, beginning prior to the Brunhes/Matuyama boundary (≈O.73-O.79 × 106 yr), and occurring intermittently until the last glaciation (Liki Glaciation) ended in the lower valleys (3200 m) at 15 000 yr BP. Late Liki glaciers in the high valleys (4000 m.a.s.l.) receded from recessional moraines some...
The development of the Afroalpine ecosystem as found on a number of isolated mountains in East Africa has a physical component and a biological component which is to a large degree dependent on the physical environment. The origins of the Afroalpine biota are predominantly African-tropical or Palearctic with smaller contributions from South Africa...
The chronology for the younger Marquee and Arrowsmith moraine sets of the Cameron Glacier is revised. This is done by using new lichen growth curves for Rhizocarpon geographicum and R. candidum, developed for moraines of the Mueller Glacier at Mount Cook and calibrated with ages determined from rock weathering rind thicknesses. A new rock weatherin...
Seed rain studies were conducted in 1988 and 1989 in the Craigieburn Range, South Island, using pit traps in four alpine plant communities: fellfield, snowbank, herbfield, and snow tussock grassland. Seeds and fruits from a total of 34 species were trapped, and the average number trapped over two seasons was 1921 m. Peak seasonal dispersal was in e...
A buried seed experiment was conducted in the alpine zone of the Craigieburn Range, South Island, New Zealand, with caryopses of the common large tussock grass Chionochloa macra Zotov. Overwinter survival of caryopses enclosed in the palea and lemma and buried 1 cm below the soil or litter surface averaged 78% of those initially viable. Summer mort...
The relative ages of Neogfacial deposits above 2900m near Cloudveil Dome, Middle Teton, and Teepe glaciers, central Teton Range, western Wyoming, were determined using topographic position, weathering features, lichenometry, vegetation characteristics, and soils. A three-fold deposit sequence is identified and correlated with the Gannett Peak, Audu...
The dipteran fruit fly Trypanea longipennis (Tephritidae) and its association with host plants in the Asteraceae was studied during the 1988/89 summer season in the Craigieburn Range and Arthur's Pass, South Island. Pupae were found on 9 out of 21 species examined. Hosts, in order of preference, were Celmisia lyallii, C. spectabilis, Raoulia subser...
Living plants and herbarium specimens with mature capsules of the late snow area species Plantago novae-zelandiae L. Moore and P. lanigera Hook. f. were studied. Ovule number, seed size, weight, viability, capsules per inflorescence, inflorescence height, and leaves per plant are shown to be significantly different. No differences in seed coats cou...
Spence, J.R. (1989). Phenological investigations in alpine vegetation, Craigieburn Range, South Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Natural Sciences 16: 1-11. Phenology of selected alpine species was followed over the 1987/88 season in tussock grassland, herbfield, fellfield, and late snow communities in the Craigieburn Range, South Island. Replicate...