News: A study found that moss spores survived nine months in low-orbit space outside the International Space Station (ISS), with over 80% able to reproduce back on Earth.
About Moss
- Moss is a small non vascular plant known for its high resilience on earth.
- It belong to taxonomic division Bryophyta (bryophytes).
- Pioneering species: It is among the earliest land plants and has colonised some of the harshest environments on the planet, including Antarctica, volcanic fields, and deserts.
- One of the most well-known cave mosses is Schistostega pennata, also known as dragon’s gold, which shines an emerald green colour.
- Distribution: Mosses are distributed throughout the world except in salt water and are commonly found in moist shady locations.
- Environmental significance of Moss
- Mosses function like natural sponges, absorbing rainfall and maintaining soil moisture.
- They stabilise disturbed soil surfaces.
- By regulating ground temperature, they protect roots in hot areas and slow ice thawing in cold regions.
- Mosses enable formation of new ecosystems, especially in harsh environments.
- Their microhabitats support biodiversity, providing shelter and protection to various small organisms.
- Mosses are widely used as bioindicators of air pollution, especially for heavy metals, nitrogen compounds and acidic deposition.
