What are Bryophytes?
What are bryophytes?
You probably know them best as mosses, but bryophytes are actually a collection of three different types, or phyla, of nonvascular plants – meaning they lack roots and vascular tissue. Mosses, liverworts and hornworts absorb water and nutrients, like mist and dust, directly through their surface. They reproduce using spores instead of seeds, with some species being able to spread them as far as other countries and continents!
Bryophytes, specifically liverworts, are the closest relative to the first-ever plants grown on land. They likely appeared in the Ordovician period around 450 million years ago. Now that’s an old plant! (Schofield, 2024).
How they Impact our World
These plants have a great impact on the environment around them. Bryophytes act like nature’s sponge, soaking up water when it rains and slowly releasing it during dry spells. This prevents erosion, protects water quality, and supports habitats around them. Imagine moss as nature’s own sustainable irrigation system. (Schofield, 2024).
Bryophytes are also natural air cleaners that quietly improve the environment around us. They absorb pollutants like heavy metals and dust directly through their surfaces, thanks to their simple structure that doesn’t have protective barriers like other plants. This ability allows them to filter the air and reduce harmful particles, especially in urban areas. Bryophytes also trap airborne particles on their surfaces, making them effective at keeping the air cleaner while thriving in places where few other plants can survive. They’re small but mighty when it comes to supporting healthier air!
Spotlight: Goblin’s Gold
Goblin’s Gold moss, also called Schistostega pennata, is a fascinating little plant that looks like it’s glowing! It gets its nickname because it grows in dark places, like caves or under rocks, where light is scarce. Its cells are specially designed to catch and reflect even the tiniest bit of light, creating a shimmering, golden-green glow.
This “glow” isn’t from the plant making its own light, like a firefly does. Instead, it’s light bouncing off special lens-like structures in the moss, which focus light onto its photosynthetic cells so it can make food in such dark environments. It’s like the moss has its own natural spotlight. (Knapp, 2021).
Photo by Alpsdake licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Spotlight: Umbrella liverwort
Umbrella liverwort, or Marchantia polymorpha gets its name from its little umbrella-like structure. Interestingly, this species is actually native to Illinois, which is very close to us here in Indianapolis. It is the only liverwort that has fringed circular gemma cups on the upper surface of the thallus.
Photo by Dr. John Hilty, Illinois Wildflowers
Lack of Conservation?
Sadly, despite the ability of bryophytes to provide ecosystem support, they are widely understudied. Specifically in the tropics, many of these species lack many occurrence records – or samples of their distribution. Without these, it is much harder to determine the impact of bryophytes on a specific location or lack thereof. Also, a lack of funding contributes to the lack of representation of these plants.
Because of the unique nature of bryophytes and their large distribution, it would be helpful to research them to determine how they are influenced by factors such as climate change. This can help us determine how climate change may be impacting our tropics as a whole. These plants are also highly sensitive to shifts in temperature, humidity and air quality, making their study crucial for understanding broader changes in tropical ecosystems. Increased attention to bryophyte research could also inform conservation strategies, guiding efforts to protect both bryophytes and the ecosystems they support.
Learn more about bryophytes from the IUCN SSC Bryophyte Specialist Group.
This blog was a collaboration between experts at the Global Center for Species Survival, including Plants & Fungi Conservation Coordinator Cátia Canteiro and Global Center for Species Survival Intern Molly Kubal.
Published December 17, 2024