Surveying the Lichen Diversity of Gitchie Manitou State Preserve Using Problem-Based Learning Pedagogy

A survey of lichen diversity was conducted at Gitchie Manitou State Preserve in Lyon County, Iowa, using a problem-based learning approach in a course taught at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory during the summer of 2017. Using this approach the students were able to correctly identify about 77%of the collected lichens. Our collections revealed the presence of 34 distinct lichens, representing 23 genera, including the first report of Agonimia optuntiella (Buschardt & Poelt) Vězda for the state of Iowa.