Sphagnum

• It blends in against the green background of plant life, and seems to grow everywhere – whether you want it to or not.
• But this group of plants, which actually comprises between 12,000 and 15,000 species, is astonishing.
• They are helping scientists understand the evolution of life, and are one of the most ancient plant groups alive today.
• This article is part of a series, Plant Curious, exploring scientific studies that challenges the way you view plantlife.

Drivers of critical ecosystem services

• The Australian study examined mosses’ relationship to their habitats in detail, and found they are critical to soil health.
• The researchers collected moss samples from ecosystems around the globe – from tropical rainforest to polar landscapes through to arid deserts.
• This regulates water flow in the area, preventing flooding and creating peatland habitats which are home to rare plants and animals.
• Moss piglets are nearly indestructible and can even survive in outer space, by entering a death-like state called cryptobiosis.

Ancient ancestors

• And while most plants have a continuous column of water which flows inside them via a xylem and phloem, mosses don’t – just like some of the most ancient plants in Earth’s history.
• Instead, these tiny plants have their own conducting systems to move substances around their bodies.
• This makes them excellent for studying the evolution of plants, much of which occurred during challenging conditions on Earth.
• Studying the mechanisms of this ability in modern plants helps scientists understand how ancient plants might have adapted to land.