Various versions have evolved over the years, sometimes by accident

Groundbreaking Discovery: Mosses May Not Be "Loners" After All

For decades, the scientific consensus held that mosses were self-sufficient, standing apart from the widespread symbiotic relationships found in other land plants. However, new research from UC Riverside, published in New Phytologist, suggests that desert mosses may be hosting fungi within their tissues—a discovery that could reshape our understanding of plant biology.

The Findings at a Glance

• The Old Model: Scientists previously believed that all 10,000 species of moss were "loners," not requiring the support of fungi to thrive.

• The New Evidence: By analyzing moss samples from the Mojave and Sonoran deserts, researchers identified fungal DNA inside the moss tissues.

• The "Arbuscule-Like" Structures: Using microscopy, doctoral researcher Kian Kelly observed branching fungal structures inside moss leaves. These resemble "arbuscules"—tree-shaped formations typically used by fungi to trade nutrients with plant roots (even though mosses lack roots).

Why This Matters

If this partnership is confirmed as a true symbiosis, the implications are significant:

• Evolutionary Insights: Because mosses are closely related to the earliest land plants, this discovery could reveal the ancient alliances that allowed life to transition from oceans to dry land roughly 470 million years ago.

• Climate Resilience: The fungi found in desert mosses differed from those in less arid climates. Researchers suspect these fungi may play a vital role in helping mosses survive extreme heat and drought.

• Ecosystem Restoration: Desert mosses are crucial components of soil crusts that take decades to recover from disturbances. Understanding this fungal relationship could offer new strategies for restoring and protecting fragile desert habitats in the face of climate change.

Next Steps for Research

While the presence of these fungi is clear, researchers must now perform further studies to determine if a functional nutrient exchange is actually occurring between the mosses and the fungi. Confirming this link will be the final step in establishing the relationship as a true symbiosis.

"The desert is full of things people overlook. Sometimes, the biggest surprises are the ones growing quietly beneath our feet." — Kian Kelly, UCR Doctoral Researcher