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bryophyte |
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bryophyteAny of the green, seedless land plants that make up the division Bryophyta, numbering at least 18,000 species and divided into three classes: mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. They are distinguished from vascular plants and seed plants by the production of only one spore-containing organ in their spore-producing stage. Most bryophytes are 0.8–2 in. (2–5 cm) tall or, if reclining, generally less than 12 in. (30 cm) long. Found throughout the world, from polar regions to the tropics, they are most abundant in humid environments, though none is marine. Bryophytes are extremely tolerant of dry and freezing conditions. Peat moss is economically important to humans in horticulture and as an energy source. Some bryophytes are used ornamentally, as in moss gardens. In nature, bryophytes initiate soil formation on barren terrain and maintain soil moisture, and they recycle nutrients in forest ecosystems. They are found on rocks, logs, and forest litter. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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| The biological processes in a stream are driven by two factors: the sun, which provides energy for algae and bryophytes such as mosses, and the vegetation debris--the leaves, branches, and logs that fall into the stream--which provides energy for the microorganisms that remove the nitrogen and phosphorus from the stream water. The fir, which hosts a variety of rare bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) and at least one rare species of spider, is now a candidate for protection by the Endangered Species Act. Selenium in soils, spermatophytes and bryophytes around a Zn-Pb smelter, New South Wales, Australia. |
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