BukSU Leads Bryophyte Research in Bukidnon Mountains

A new research project aimed at documenting bryophyte species in Mindanao began its initial fieldwork in Mt. Pigngalngalnan- Mt. Kalo-Kalo located within the Kalatungan Range, Bukidnon, from July 4 to 7, 2025, involving botanists from Bukidnon State University (BukSU, California Academy of Sciences (CAS), and the Central Mindanao University (CMU))

The project, titled Exploring Bryophyte Diversity in Mindanao, focuses on the collection, documentation, and ecological study of bryophytes, which are considered part of the island’s diverse and endemic plant life.

BukSU leads the initiative through the Office of University President Dr. Joy M. Mirasol and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Hazel Jean M. Abejuela. The research is headed by Dr. Lesley Casas Lubos, a botanist and bryologist who also serves as the director of the BukSU Botanical Gardens and Herbarium.

This project was funded by California Academy of Sciences through Mr. James R. Shevock, a bryologist from CAS in San Francisco, California, is participating as an international collaborator. The research team also includes botanists from CMU and the Center for Biodiversity Research and Extension in Mindanao (CEBREM): Dr. Victor B. Amoroso, Dr. Fulgent P. Coritico, and Dr. Gio Vincent A. Balansag. CMU President Dr. Rolito G. Eballe leads the collaborating institution.

The collaborative effort is based on a formal Memorandum of Agreement among CAS, BukSU, and CMU. According to project organizers, the agreement establishes a framework for fieldwork and scientific exchange related to bryophyte research in the region.

Additional expeditions are scheduled in Mt. Kampalili and Mt. Talomo in Davao Province. These activities are part of the continued survey of bryophytes, a plant group with limited recorded data in the Philippines. (Bret Malone Caesar Calipes, BukSU IU intern)