29.10.2025
Mosses Help Fight Climate Change
A newspaper article by Madhavi Parajuli, a PhD student at the Department of Soil Science and Geomorphology, was recently published in the Nepalese newspaper, The Rising Nepal, highlighting the critical role of mosses as carbon managers in forest ecosystems and the study of mosses in Nepal.
Parajuli emphasizes that while trees are widely recognized as major carbon sinks, studies show that mosses—miniature, non-vascular plants belonging to the division Bryophyta—also play a significant role in carbon sequestration and ecosystem stability. Mosses form dense green carpets on the forest floor, capture and store atmospheric carbon, enhance soil structure, and support diverse microbial and plant communities.
Globally, moss-covered soils contain about 6.43 billion metric tons more carbon than bare soils—roughly six times the annual global carbon emissions from land-use changes. The decomposition of mosses contributes to the formation of soil organic matter, leading to improved soil aeration, water retention, and erosion resistance. They also moderate soil temperature and moisture and help to stabilize local microclimates and sustain ecosystem functions where there is sparse vascular plant cover.
Nepal’s diverse topography, 60 - 8,848 meters above mean sea level, supports an exceptional richness of moss species—766 recorded species, out of 1318 Bryophytes species identified nationwide. Endemic taxa such as Spagnum nepalensis, Nordia nepalensis, Entodon nepalensis, and Diplophyllum trollii highlight the country’s unique bryoflora. However, 92 moss species are currently listed by IUCN as threatened, primarily due to habitat loss, climate change, and land-use pressures.
Despite their ecological importance, mosses remain underexplored in Nepal, particularly regarding their roles in carbon sequestration, soil stabilization, and erosion control. Expanding research in these areas could provide valuable insights into nutrient cycling and forest resilience—supporting sustainable management of Nepal’s mountain ecosystems and contributing to global climate mitigation efforts.
Further information on this topic can be found in the full article here.
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