Ms Jo Wilbraham
Senior Curator in Charge, Algae
Division: LS Algae, Fungi and Plants Division
Summary
I lead and manage the curatorial team for the non-vascular cryptogamic groups of Algae, Bryophytes and Lichens. These combined collections represent a major research resource of over 2 million specimens. I directly manage the non-diatom Algal Collections which, with 400,000 specimens, is one of the largest collections of its kind in the world and represents a diverse group of organisms including seaweeds, charophytes and cyanobacteria. My research interests are in the taxonomy, biodiversity and conservation of seaweeds, freshwater algae and bryophytes.
Qualifications
- Ph.D., University of Reading, United Kingdom, 2021 - 2022
- M.Sc., The University of Edinburgh & The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 2003 - 2004
- B.Sc. (Hons) 2:1, The University of Durham, United Kingdom, 2000 - 2003
Degrees
Employment history
- Principal Curator and SCiC of Algae, Bryophytes & Lichens, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom, 2022 - ongoing
- Principal Curator and SCiC of Algae incl. Diatoms, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom, 2022 - 2022
- Senior Curator in Charge, Algae incl. Diatoms, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom, 2017 - 2021
- Senior Curator, Algae, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom, 2011 - 2016
- Curator of Algae, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom, 2008 - 2011
- Bryophyte Digitisation Officer, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom, 2005 - 2008
- Digitisation Officer, The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Herbarium, United Kingdom, 2004 - 2005
Academic
Grants
Seaweed collections online: mobilising data from national and regional museums
Role: Principal investigator
Funding: Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
Total value £31,943 (to Museum £31,943)
Dates: 2013 - 2014
A provisional red data list for seaweeds in the United Kingdom
Role: Principal investigator
Funding: John Spedan Lewis Trust
Total value £4,800 (to Museum £4,800)
Dates: 2012 - 2012
GB Non-native Species Information Portal Project
Role: Principal investigator
Funding: Marine Biological Association
Total value £8,000 (to Museum £8,000)
Dates: 2011 - 2012
Fieldwork
Staffa Archipelago, Scotland, United Kingdom
2016 - 2016.
United Kingdom, Isles of Scilly
2013 - 2013.
Scilly: Documenting and Exploring an Outdoor Museum (Seaweeds)
2013 - 2013.
Seaweeds of the Outer Hebrides
2012 - 2012.
Fieldwork in Costa Rica, Talamanca Mountains (Bryophytes)
2012 - 2012.
Fieldwork in Latvia with the University of Latvia & British Bryological Sociey
2011 - 2011.
Seaweeds of NW Scotland
2009 - 2009.
Bryophytes of Réunion Island: taxonomic workshop & field meeting
2008 - 2008.
Committees
Member, British Phycological Society - Council, 2022 - on going.
Member, British Phycological Society - Council, 2017 - 2019.
British Bryological Society - Publications Committee, 2013 - on going.
British Bryological Society - Council, 2013 - 2018.
British Phycological Society - Biodiversity & Conservation Committee, 2010 - on going.
British Bryological Society - Council, 2008 - 2011.
Chair, British Bryological Society - Tropical Bryology Group, 2006 - 2010.
Editorships
Editor, Field Bryology (Bulletin of the British Bryological Society), British Bryological Society, 2013 - 2018.
Events
Organisation
Organising committee, International Association of Bryologists - London Conference, (Conference), 2013 - 2013.
Publications
John DM, Guiry MD, Wilbraham J, Krokowski J (2022) The 2011 edition of “The Freshwater Algal Flora of the British Isles”: additions, corrections, nomenclatural and taxonomic changes. Applied Phycology, 3 (1) : 36 - 71. doi: 10.1080/26388081.2022.2031295
Wilbraham J (2022) Taxonomic revision of the Orthotrichaceae (Bryophyta) of sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands. PhD Thesis. (Supervisor(s)) Hawkins J.
Wilbraham J (2021) Taxonomic notes on African Orthotrichaceae 4. New synonymy in Schlotheimia. Journal of Bryology, 43 (3) : 259 - 265. doi: 10.1080/03736687.2021.1911077
Clubbe C, Ainsworth AM, Bárrios S, Bensusan K, Brodie J, Cannon P, Chapman T, Copeland AI, Corcoran M, Dani Sanchez M, David JC, Dines T, Gardiner LM, Hamilton MA, Heller T, Hollingsworth PM, Hutchinson N, Llewelyn T, Lowe Forrest L, McGinn KJ, Miles S, O'Donnell K, Woodfield‐Pascoe N, Rich TCG, Rumsey F, Sim J, Smith SR, Spence N, Stanworth A, Stroh P, Taylor I, Trivedi C, Twyford AD, Viruel J, Walker K, Wilbraham J, Woodman J, Fay MF (2020) Current knowledge, status, and future for plant and fungal diversity in Great Britain and the UK Overseas Territories. PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET, 2 (5) : 557 - 579. doi: 10.1002/ppp3.10142
Wilbraham J (2020) Conservation challenges for a microscopic world: Documenting desmids. British Phycological Society Conference, Phycologist 98 : 39 - 39.
Wilbraham J, Casanova M (2019) Charophytes of Britain and Ireland. Presented at Botanical Society of the British Isles.
John D, Casanova M, Wilbraham J (2019) Conservation status of the potentially endangered freshwater green alga Gongrosira scourfieldii. 1 - 31.
Hodgetts N (2019) A Miniature World in Decline European Red List of Mosses, Liverworts and Hornworts. null :
Wilbraham J, Casanova M (2019) Dataset: Charophytes of Britain and Ireland.
Wilbraham J (2018) Taxonomic notes on African Orthotrichaceae 3. New synonymy in Madagascan Macromitrium. Journal of Bryology, 40 (4) : 393 - 398. doi: 10.1080/03736687.2018.1513713
Wilbraham J, John D (2018) New records and observations on two of the rarest Green Algae in the British Isles – Gongrosira scourfieldii and Oocardium stratum. Quekett Journal of Microscopy, 43 (3) : 223 - 227.
Jungblut AD, Wilbraham J, Banack SA, Metcalf JS, Codd GA (2018) Microcystins, BMAA and BMAA isomers in 100-year-old Antarctic cyanobacterial mats collected during Captain R.F. Scott’s Discovery Expedition. European Journal of Phycology, 53 (2) : 115 - 121. doi: 10.1080/09670262.2018.1442587
Wilbraham J (2018) Algal recording in Britain and Ireland - British Phycological Society. Presented at British Phycological Society Conference - Southend, Essex 2018.
Carine MA, Cesar EA, Ellis L, Hunnex J, Paul AM, Prakash R, Rumsey FJ, Wajer J, Wilbraham J, Yesilyurt JC (2018) Examining the spectra of herbarium uses and users. Botany Letters, 165 (3-4) : 328 - 336. doi: 10.1080/23818107.2018.1482782
Cesar EA, Wilbraham J, Williams D (2018) Diatom Collections at the Natural History Museum: Using digitisation to maximise research potential. Presented at British Phycological Society Conference - Southend, Essex 2018.
Ellis LT, Wilbraham J, Aleffi M, Asthana AK, Rawat KK, Gupta D, Sahu V, Katiyar P, Asthana G, Srivastava A, Baráth K, Bednarek-Ochyra H, Bruno Silva J, Emanuely de Araújo Farias C, Rangel Germano S, Czernyadjeva IV, Doroshina GY, Delgadillo Moya C, Peña Retes P, Erzberger P, Fuertes E, Garcia-Avila D, Garilleti R, Hedderson TA, West A, Hugonnot V, Kürschner H, Lagrandie J, Lara F, Draper I, Lebouvier M, Lönnell N, Hallingbäck T, Mesterházy A, Muñoz J, Németh CS, Park SJ, Sun B-Y, Pérez G, Plášek V, Poponessi S, Vernanzoni R, Gigante D, Philippe M, Porley RD, Sérgio C, Ministro P, Ştefănuţ S, Suárez GM, Flores JR, Sulayman M, Wilding N, Yoon Y-J (2018) New national and regional bryophyte records, 54. Journal of Bryology, 40 (1) : 74 - 97. doi: 10.1080/03736687.2018.1425573
Wilbraham J (2017) Taxonomic notes on African Orthotrichaceae 2: Macrocoma – new synonymy and first report of multicellular spores. Journal of Bryology, 39 (4) : 324 - 330. doi: 10.1080/03736687.2017.1329074
Wilbraham J, John D, Carter CF (2017) New version of the AlgaeVision Website: a searchable photo catalogue of freshwater and subaerial algae. The Phycologist, 92 : 39 - 39.
Wilbraham J (2016) Taxonomic notes on African Orthotrichaceae I. New synonymy inMacromitrium. Journal of Bryology, 38 (2) : 87 - 93. doi: 10.1080/03736687.2015.1124175
Wilbraham J (2016) Naturedata: A planning & advocacy tool for UK collections. Presented at Natsca Conference & AGM 2016 (Derby Museums).
Carter CF, John DM, Wilbraham J (2016) AlgaeVision: Virtual Collection of Freshwater Algae from the British Isles. Version II.. World Wide Web electronic publication
Brodie J, Wilbraham J, Pottas J, Guiry MD (2016) A revised check-list of the seaweeds of Britain. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 96 (5) : 1005 - 1029. doi: 10.1017/s0025315415001484
Wilbraham J (2015) Annotated checklist and keys to the Orthotrichaceae of Malawi, together with new country records for East Africa. Journal of Bryology, 37 (2) : 87 - 95. doi: 10.1179/1743282014Y.0000000133
Wilbraham J, Pressel S (2015) Macromitrium (Orthotrichaceae) in sub-Saharan Africa. International Association of Bryologists (IAB) Conference, 111 1 - 11 1 1Page 26. In: B. Goffinet et al. (Organizers), International Association of Bryologists (IAB) Conference. Omora Ethnobotanical Park — Universidad de Magallanes, Puerto Williams, Chile
Brodie J, Fussey GD, Wilbraham J, Guiry MD (2015) From Sir Joseph Banks to the world’s seaweed colloid industry: the discovery of original material and typification of the marine red alga Gloiopeltis tenax. Journal of Applied Phycology, 27 : 1535 - 1540. doi: 10.1007/s10811-014-0440-1
Wilbraham J, Brodie J, Pottas J (2013) Towards a Red List for UK seaweeds. Presented at British Phycological Society Annual Meeting: Belfast.
Brodie J, Wilbraham J (2013) A provisional red data list for UK seaweeds. 1 - 41.
Brodie J, Wilbraham J (2013) Seaweed survey of the Outer Hebrides, 2012.
Wilbraham J, Brodie J (2013) Seaweed Collections Online: Mobilising data from national and regional museums. SPNHC, 246 6 - 24 6 6
Wilbraham, J. , Price MJ (2013) A lectotype for Macromitrium cirrosum (Hedw.) Brid. (Orthotrichaceae). Journal of Bryology, 35 : 119 - 122. doi: 10.1179/1743282013y.0000000052
Brodie J, Irvine LM, Pottas J, Wilbraham J (2012) Using herbarium specimens to track the arrival and spread of non-native seaweeds in the UK and Ireland. The Phycologist, 82 : 31 - 32.
Brodie J, Wilbraham J, Pottas J, Irvine LM (2012) Capturing the aliens: Using herbarium specimens to track the arrival and spread of non-native seaweeds. Presented at British Phycological Society Annual Meeting, Newcastle University.
Wilbraham J (2011) Bryophytes of Réunion Island. British Bryological Society Annual Meeting, 109 9 - 10 9 9Field Bryology 104 : 44 - 53.
Ah-Peng C, Bardat J, Ellis LT, Hedderson TAJ, Malombe I, Matcham H, Pócs T, Porley R, Séneca A, Söderström L, Wilbraham J (2010) Additions to the bryoflora of Réunion Island 3: new and interesting records from the Tropical Bryology Group (British Bryological Society). Journal of Bryology, 32 (4) : 288 - 295. doi: 10.1179/037366810x12814321877624
Wilbraham J, Matcham HW (2010) Zygodon oeneus Herzog (Bryophyta: Orthotrichaceae) new to Uganda and Africa. Journal of Bryology, 32 : 237 - 239.
Wilbraham J, Brodie J (2010) Enhancing the herbarium: documenting the marine algal flora of NW Scotland. Presented at British Phycological Society annual meeting, Oban.
Wilbraham, J. , Ellis LT (2010) Further taxonomic studies on the families Calymperaceae (Musci) and Orthotrichaceae (Musci) in the bryoflora of Réunion Island, with notes on taxa from other islands in the western Indian Ocean. Cryptogamie Bryologie, 31 : 31 - 66.
Wilbraham J (2009) Bryophytes & Volcanoes: La Réunion Island. Field Bryology, 97 : 24 - 31.
Wilbraham J, Brodie J (2009) Discovering the Algal Herbarium at the Natural History Museum. Presented at British Phycological Society annual meeting: London.
Wilbraham J (2008) New synonymy and typification in AfricanSchlotheimia(Bryopsida: Orthotrichaceae). Journal of Bryology, 30 (3) : 196 - 200. doi: 10.1179/174328208x300679
Wilbraham J (2008) Phases of bryological exploration with the tropical moss genus Macromitrium. British Bryological Society Annual Meeting, Field Bryology 94 :
Ellis L, Wilbraham J (2008) New synonymy in Macromitrium (Musci, Orthotrichaceae) and Syrrhopodon (Musci, Calymperaceae) in the bryoflora of Reunion Island. CRYPTOGAMIE BRYOLOGIE, 29 (1) : 23 - 31.
Wilbraham J (2008) Bryophyte Flora of Uganda. 8. Orthotrichaceae, Part 1. Macromitrioideae.. Journal of Bryology, 30 : 201 - 207.
Wilbraham J (2007) Mosses and the African Plants Initiative – Digitisation at the Natural History Museum, London. British Bryological Society Annual Meeting, 89 9 - 8 9 9Field Bryology 91 : 34 - 43.
Wilbraham J (2007) Orthotrichaceae, in Guide to Bryophytes of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Wilbraham J (2007) Taxonomic notes on the pantropical generaMacromitriumandMacrocoma(Bryopsida: Orthotrichaceae). Journal of Bryology, 29 (1) : 54 - 59. doi: 10.1179/174328207x164069
Wilbraham J, Long DG (2005) ZygodonHook. & Taylor andBryomaltaeaGoffinet (Bryopsida: Orthotrichaceae) in the Sino-Himalaya. Journal of Bryology, 27 (4) : 329 - 342. doi: 10.1179/174328205x72531
Courses taught
Postgraduate: Taxonomic Principles and Tools in Botanical Research
3/2017.
Postgraduate: Taxonomic Principles and Tools in Botanical Research (Seaweeds component, 2016)
3/2016.
An Introduction to Drawing Mosses (2014 & 2015)
3/2014 - 3/2015.
Postgraduate: Taxonomic Principles and Tools in Botanical Research (Seaweeds component, 2014)
3/2014 - on going.
Decoding NAture (Seaweeds component, 2012-2014)
7/2012 - 7/2014.
Course developed
Co developers: Knapp S, Thues H, Carine M, Brodie J, Ellis L, Wilbraham J, Spencer M, Rumsey F
Taxonomic Principles and Tools in Botanical Research,
Invited and keynote speaker
Invited speaker, Orthotrichaceae in sub-Saharan Africa: Taxonomic work on Macromitrium, British Bryological Society, annual meeting: 10/9/2016.
Macromitrium (Orthotrichaceae) in sub-Saharan Africa, International Association of Bryologists Conference: 2015.
Seaweed Collections Online: Mobilising data from national and regional museums, Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC): 2014.
Invited speaker, Bryophytes of Réunion Island, British Bryological Society, annual meeting: 2010.
Public Engagement
Internal activities
Museum Lates: The Big Seaweed Search, 27/10/2017
Science Uncovered, 29/9/2017
Nature Live: The seaweed wonderbay, 17/7/2017
Fascination of Plants Day 2017, 19/5/2017