The Significance of Moss
When it comes to plant species, many vibrant plants catch the eye. Many plants are overlooked but are vital to ecosystems. One such species is moss. The soft, lush growths that carpet forest floors and tree bark are essential for the environment. While easily ignored, mosses provide many benefits to the world around them. Not only are they a source of food and shelter for vertebrates and invertebrates, but they also aid in carbon sequestration and support multiple ecosystem services.
Mosses are non-vascular plants. “This means they lack the tissues that many other plant species use to transport water and nutrients from roots to stems and leaves. Without vascular tissues, mosses do not have the support structure to grow tall like many other plants, and instead grow flat and low to the ground” (Moss - Acadia National Park (U.S. National Park Service), n.d.) There are approximately 12,000 species of mosses found around the world (Research Provides Crucial Insights, 2023). Due to their structure, mosses absorb nutrients and water through their surface and use their roots to attach to soil and other surfaces (McClure, 2023). This greenery can grow all over the world in different climates. Mosses are sometimes described as pioneering species since they can grow where other plants cannot. When moss grows over logs, rocks, or the ground, it traps and collects environmental debris, decomposing it over time and forming soil that allows other plant species to grow (Gardens, 2024). Land mosses, especially soil mosses, are one of the most widely distributed organisms on land (Eldridge et al., 2023). Although they are one of the most widely distributed land plants, there has been little research done on their influence on ecosystems.
Instead of producing seeds for reproduction, mosses reproduce through spores. While mosses may be small compared to other plants, there is a whole world of life found within their soft and textured greenery. These microhabitats provide shelter for animals such as shrews and mice, and smaller creatures like spiders and tardigrades. In addition to this, moss is a food source for many creatures, like slugs and microfauna (Moss - Acadia National Park (U.S. National Park Service), n.d.). By attracting different types of creatures, it increases the biodiversity of its surrounding environment. “Moss is also used as nesting material by birds and can live in symbiotic relationships with fungi and bacteria, which also benefits the plants and animals around them” (Gardens, 2024).
Incredibly, moss aids in soil quality and reduces soil erosion. Because of its spongy nature, moss can absorb and retain a lot of water. This provides soil with extra moisture in dry areas (Moss - Acadia National Park (U.S. National Park Service), n.d.). “This is particularly important in deserts, where thin crusts of mosses, lichens, and cyanobacteria protect the desert soil from erosion by wind and water” (Brits, 2023). As mosses absorb and release water in the atmosphere, it aids in regulating moisture levels within the soil. It also provides a source of water for nearby plants and animals. When mosses grow on soil, the soil has been found to have higher levels of nutrients and enzymes. Soil with mosses can also break down organic matter better than bare soils (Wilke & Wilke, 2023). A comprehensive global standardized field study, published in 2023 by Eldridge et al., was conducted to quantify how soil mosses influence ecosystem services. In this study, mosses from every continent were observed (Eldridge et al., 2023). The study found that mosses benefit the soil in many ways, including “maintaining soil biodiversity, nutrient cycling, decomposition of organic matter, maintaining microbial populations, and controlling soil pathogens” (McClure, 2023).
Soil is made up of water, air, minerals, and organic materials–such as broken-down plant matter (Soil Basics | Soil Science Society of America, n.d.). Plant matter contains high levels of carbon that the plants take in when alive, and the carbon is stored in the soil as the plant material breaks down. It is argued that soil that stores more carbon can improve the overall health of the soil, leading to better growing conditions (Soil-Based Carbon Sequestration | MIT Climate Portal, n.d.). When there is no leafy plant life, the soil cannot store carbon, negatively affecting the soil quality and surrounding ecosystems. Fortunately, mosses can store carbon.
“The amount of carbon stored in the soil through mosses is significantly greater than the carbon emissions generated by human activities that modify land use, such as deforestation or agriculture, on a global scale in a single year” (Brits, 2023). Due to their ability to store carbon, they are vitally important in protecting natural carbon storage systems. Some examples of these carbon storage systems are permafrost and bogs (Mohanasundaram et al., 2023). “The amount of soil carbon associated with mosses is up to six times the annual global carbon emissions from any altered land use globally” (Eldridge et al., 2023). It was observed that perennial, mat, and turf mosses have the largest positive contribution to soils, specifically to sandy soils and ecosystems that are lacking in nutrients (Eldridge et al., 2023).
Mosses are unique in how they affect plant evolution. They are resilient and can grow in harsh conditions, paving the way for other plants and animals to thrive. Though underappreciated, mosses are vital to maintaining the quality of soils around the earth. Furthermore, they provide food and shelter for microscopic life forms. Although more research needs to be done, it is clear that mosses are extraordinary and carry significance to the world around them.
Works Cited
Brits, E. (2023). Largest survey on mosses highlights vital role in ecosystem. Nature Africa. https://doi.org/10.1038/d44148-023-00162-8
Eldridge, D. J., Guirado, E., Reich, P. B., Ochoa-Hueso, R., Berdugo, M., Sáez-Sandino, T., Blanco-Pastor, J. L., Tedersoo, L., Plaza, C., Ding, J., Sun, W., Mamet, S., Cui, H., He, J., Hu, H., Sokoya, B., Abades, S., Alfaro, F., Bamigboye, A. R., . . . Delgado-Baquerizo, M. (2023). The global contribution of soil mosses to ecosystem services. Nature Geoscience, 16(5), 430–438. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-023-01170-x
Gardens, M. a. S. (2024, March 22). The Role of Moss Plants in Nature Explained - Moss & Stone Gardens. Moss & Stone Gardens. https://mossandstonegardens.com/blog/the-role-of-moss-plants-in-nature-explained/
Lindo, Z., & Gonzalez, A. (2010). The Bryosphere: an integral and influential component of the Earth’s biosphere. Ecosystems, 13(4), 612–627. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-010-9336-3
McClure, P. (2023, May 2). How moss makes better soil and helps combat climate change. New Atlas. https://newatlas.com/environment/huge-global-study-moss-vital-ecosystems-climate-change/
Mohanasundaram, B., Koley, S., Allen, D. K., & Pandey, S. (2023). Physcomitrium patens response to elevated CO2 is flexible and determined by an interaction between sugar and nitrogen availability. New Phytologist, 241(3), 1222–1235. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.19348
Moss - Acadia National Park (U.S. National Park Service). (n.d.). https://www.nps.gov/acad/learn/nature/moss.htm
Research provides crucial insights into moss growth under elevated CO2 levels that may benefit climate change models. (2023, November 23). ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231114143737.htm
Soil Basics | Soil Science Society of America. (n.d.). https://www.soils.org/about-soils/basics/
Soil-Based Carbon Sequestration | MIT Climate Portal. (n.d.). MIT Climate Portal. https://climate.mit.edu/explainers/soil-based-carbon-sequestration
Wilke, C., & Wilke, C. (2023, June 29). Mosses Play Key Roles in Ecosystems from Tropics to Tundra. Eos. https://eos.org/articles/mosses-play-key-roles-in-ecosystems-from-tropics-to-tundra
