SPHAGNUM MOSS

BRYOPHYTES can be found on most surfaces in urban, rural, mountainous and on the coast, and although most people have often passed by or have been local to them, many would not necessarily be aware that they are Bryophytes. There are over 1,000 species of Bryophytes in the UK and many are common although there are some rare and endangered species. A quick check of a patio, wall, lawn, tree, roof, and rockery will almost certainly give sight of a Bryophyte. They are non-vascular plants generically known as mosses. In contrast to vascular plants and trees which have a circulatory system with the roots absorbing water, which is then circulated around the plant body, Bryophytes do not have this ability but have conductive tissues for the ingestion of water and nutrients. Another difference to vascular plants is that they do not produce flowers and seeds and as such no pollen or nectar. Instead they produce large quantities of spores. Although they have a reliance on moisture to survive and reproduce, they do have the ability to survive prolonged dry or drought periods and can become almost completely desiccated and shrivelled. Upon being exposed to water again they can reabsorb moisture and completely recover. Bryophytes are divided into three divisions; Mosses (Bryophyta), Liverworts (Marchantiophyta), and Hornworts (Anthocerotophyta). There are around 760 species of moss, 300 species of liverwort and 4 species of hornwort to be found in the UK. They have important roles and are sensitive to both air and water quality and are key indicators of the “health” of our environment and ecosystems. Bog mosses (Sphagnum) play a crucial role in our endangered peatland due to their ability to hold onto water, as well as providing an important habitat for other plants and animals. Sphagnum mosses are described as a “keystone species” of peatlands and are critical to the restoration of bogs or fens. A keystone species is one that has an extremely high impact on a specific ecosystem in relation to its population and is critical to the overall structure and function. In turn they impact on other types of plants and animals within the ecosystem. In the absence of a keystone species, many ecosystems would fail. There are 34 species of similar looking sphagnum mosses in the UK and are usually grouped together as “Sphagnum” for easy description. They are exceedingly small, and grow closely together, forming spongy carpets and hummocks are created when the mosses grow to form large mounds up to a metre high. Sphagnums range in colour from red and pink, to orange and green and form the amazingly beautiful multi-coloured, ‘living carpets’ in wet places like peat bogs, marshland, heath and moorland. They also play an important role in the creation and continuation of peat bogs. They hold water long after the surrounding soil has dried out, providing essential nutrients. This helps prevent the decay of dead plant material and this organic matter that gets compressed over hundreds of years to form peat – locking away carbon that would otherwise add to the impacts of climate change. For more information on how the Wildlife Trusts are protecting peatlands go to https://www. wildlifetrusts.org/what-we-do/ natural-solutions-climatechange/peatland-solutions