Mossy May

Lila Kapur Gandhi
3 days ago
4 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

Learn about what role moss plays in our environment, where to look for moss, how there is more to moss than it appears at first glance and why preserving moss is important.

During the monsoon season, you don’t normally do anything but sip some hot tea and snuggle up in a blanket as the rain pelts down outside your window. Though, have you ever wondered what natural marvels damp climates can bring? Well, in this edition of Wild Insights, we will be diving into one of the most common, yet unexplored marvel of the monsoons- moss. Perhaps it is how it always grows on wood in our homes in the rainy season, or maybe it’s because it appears to resemble mould at first glance- but there is something about moss that causes us to think they are nothing but a wet patch of grass. Actually, moss plays one of the most important roles in our ecosystem. Without moss, plants, trees and shrubs wouldn’t be able to live. It helps keeps soil healthy, helps distribute nutrients to help plants grow, provides a home for many microscopic organisms and stores large amounts of carbon. Therefore, it plays a crucial role in protecting trees, without which we wouldn’t have enough oxygen to survive.

A mossy rainforest in Cameron. Image courtesy- Flickr

You can’t find moss just in the monsoons, although it is more common after it has recently rained. The most common place to find them is a rainforest, where the humidity and dampness are very high. Of course, if you want to find moss, you don’t have to go all the way to Cameron highlands or Bali! Think about places around you that might be constantly damp. A wooden plank beneath a clothesline, a windowpane below some water seepage or even a rock in your backyard next to a sprinkler- moss can be absolutely anywhere! You are most likely to find moss growing on wood or leaf litter, as it decays easily, but you can still find it on damp rocks and soil too.

Although moss is more common on wood, it grows abundantly on rocks too. Image courtesy-https://www.treehugger.com/how-and-why-to-grow-moss-in-your-garden-7152562

Now, you must be wondering what is so special about moss. You’ve just learnt how vital it is for our ecosystem and where all you can find it, but the truth is- there’s much more to moss than it appears at first glance. The first time I looked at moss, I’m not going to lie, but I thought it was a patch of bright green freshly trimmed grass. When I leaned in closer though, I realised it was something completely different. A bunch of really tiny ferns maybe? I wasn’t entirely wrong! When I went back home and researched it, I found out it was moss, by dictionary definition- “moss, (division Bryophyta), any of at least 12,000 species of small nonvascular spore-bearing land plants. Mosses are distributed throughout the world except in salt water and are commonly found in moist shady locations. They are best known for those species that carpet woodland and forest floors. Ecologically, mosses break down exposed substrata, releasing nutrients for the use of more-complex plants that succeed them. They also aid in soil erosion control by providing surface cover and absorbing water, and they are important in the nutrient and water economy of some vegetation types.” - credit Britannica. Confusing right? Don’t worry, I’ll simplify it for you. Moss, or mosses are a species of plants which completely lack roots. Although they are normally found in damp areas, you will not find them anywhere near saltwater. They help prevent soil erosion, which occurs when there are very few or no tree roots to support the soil.

Different species of moss. Image courtesy- https://bantam.earth/vivarium-moss/

Before we break up for the summer, let me tell you one last thing- why it is important to preserve moss. Although moss may not be ‘endangered’ as such, it is very important to protect them, as they play a vital role in our ecosystem and provide habitats for microorganisms, store large amounts of carbon, prevent soil erosion and circulate nutrients for plants in the soil. Technically speaking, believe it or not- we can’t survive without moss. I hope you enjoyed reading this month’s newsletter. I’ll see you with my next post towards the end of June, until then, happy holidays! If you have some time over the break, I’ve made a small activity for you guys to do. Wherever you go, or not- keep your eye out, nature has phenomenal stuff to show you absolutely everywhere!

ACTIVITY 1.- WORD-SEARCH