Bryophytes are pioneers of nature.
Many bryophytes can secrete a liquid, which can slowly dissolve the surface of rocks, accelerate the weathering of rocks and promote the formation of soil, so bryophytes are also pioneers of other plants.
Bryophytes can turn swamps into land.
Bryophytes, such as sphagnum and wet moss, have strong resistance to water and humidity and grow and breed in lakes and swamps. Their aging plants or their lower parts gradually die and rot and sink to the bottom of the water. After a long time, plant residues will accumulate more and more, so that bryophytes will continue to develop to the center of the lake and swamp, the clear water area of the lake and swamp will continue to shrink, and the bottom of the lake and swamp will gradually rise. Finally, lakes and swamps will become land.
3. Indicating function of bryophytes
Many kinds of bryophytes can be used as indicators of soil pH. For example, the soil with white fur and golden fur is acidic; The soil where moss grows is alkaline soil. In recent years, people regard bryophytes as monitoring plants of air pollution. For example, bryophytes acuminata and squamous bryophytes are particularly sensitive to SO2 in the atmosphere.
4. Bryophytes have the function of soil and water conservation.
There are many gaps between tufted and mat-like bryophytes. Therefore, they have a good function of soil conservation and water storage. Some bryophytes have the function of storing a lot of water, such as large water storage cells in sphagnum leaves, which can absorb up to 20 times their own weight of water.
5. Used as fertilizer and fuel
Sphagnum can be used as fertilizer to increase the water absorption of sandy soil, and can also be dried as fuel to generate electricity.
6. Medicinal value
Some kinds of sphagnum can also be used as herbs, which can clear away heat and reduce swelling, and peat phenol can treat skin diseases.