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The forest, with or without moss?

Bryophytes play important roles in the forest ecosystem:

  • They are part of the food chain: one square meter of moss hosts hundreds of thousands small animals.
  • They play an essential role in maintaining humidity, and thus the forest microclimate.
  • Bryophytes on soil and rocks prevent erosion.
  • They play a role in flood prevention: they can store up to 30 times their own weight in water.

A Swiss study shows that forests are the habitats with the highest number of threatened bryophytes… 17% of forest species are on the UICN red list.

Why is this?

On one side, wetlands are threatened by climate change (decreasing air humidity and water quantity). On the other hand, species which depend on dead wood are suffering from the lack of decaying wood left in the forest. In addition, some bryophyte species living on slopes suffer from anthropogenic nutrient inputs.

How can we keep mosses in the forest? By leaving large decomposing trees in the forest, by encouraging structural diversity, rocky structures, earthen heaps, sparsely forested areas…