Moss

Moss Latest News

Recently, a team of scientists has found that moss can survive a prolonged trip to space.

About Moss

• It is a small nonvascular spore-bearing land plant belongs to the taxonomic division Bryophyta.
• It is among the earliest land plants and has colonised some of the harshest environments on the planet, including Antarctica, volcanic fields, and deserts.
• Mosses existed as early as the Permian Period and more than 100 species have been identified from fossils of the Paleogene and Neogene periods.
• Types of Moss: Of the 10,000 and more types of mosses on the planet, there are three main types: peat moss, granite moss and true moss.
• Distribution:  Mosses are distributed throughout the world except in salt water.
• Habitat: It is the small plant commonly found in damp, shady spots is already known for its resilience on Earth.
• Moss reproduces through spores, which are the equivalent to a flowering plant’s seed

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Ecological Significance of Moss

• Ecologically, mosses break down exposed substrata, releasing nutrients for the use of more-complex plants that succeed them.
• They also aid in soil erosion control by providing surface cover and absorbing water.
• They are important in the nutrient and water economy of some vegetation types.
• Mosses can be effective indicators of c02 emissions that pollute the air. They can also signal if an ecosystem has been damaged or harmed by acid rain.

Source: IE