Bryophytes: Ecosystem Engineers in Soil, Carbon, and Water Cycles
Review Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21276/pt.2025.v2.i4.5Keywords:
Bryophytes, Carbon sequestration, Climate resilience, Ecosystem engineering, Soil formationAbstract
Mosses, liverworts, and hornworts are constituents of bryophytes, the oldest groups of terrestrial plants, i.e., avascular cryptogams. These plants are vital components of ecosystems, as they carry out vivacious ecological functions regardless of their small size and simple thallus organization. In unadorned or disturbed soils, they are the main colonists beside lichens, starting the soil formation through the accumulation of organic matter with the aid of microbial communities. By accumulating carbon in both terrestrial and some aquatic systems, bryophytes subsidize climate upholding and play a key role in the overall carbon cycle. These miniature plants also have a huge impact on hydrological procedures through soil erosion alleviation, surface runoff reduction, and water retention. Away from their roles in ecosystem engineering, these simple plants are becoming more broadly recognized for their ability to reinstate habitat, act as bioindicators of climatic stress, and reinforce ecosystem elasticity in the face of environmental stress. The biology, ecological roles, and physiology of bryophytes are abridged in this review, highlighting their worth for safeguarding tactics, restoration ecology, and climate change alleviation. In the era of global ecological challenges, a better consideration of these earliest land plants can help to manage ecosystems sustainably and reinforce efforts to safeguard biodiversity.
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