Tiny but Mighty: The World of Sphagnum Moss
Sphagnums are a special group of mosses only found in wet, acidic areas; our moorlands, heaths, marshes and wet woodlands.
Sphagnum mosses carpet the ground with colour and play a vital role in the creation of peat bogs: by storing water in their large cells, (they soak up more than eight times their own weight in water), they prevent the decay of dead plant material which builds up, becomes compacted and eventually forms peat.
Image: Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)
Our numerous peat bogs in the Elan Valley were created by the build up of these Sphagnums over hundreds of years and our job now is to repair those damaged bogs, since healthy bogs with thriving Sphagnum communities, not only store massive amounts of carbon but create habitat for numerous other special plants and animals which are threatened by the dual threats of the climate and biodiversity emergencies.
Image: Bog Rosemary (Andromeda polifolia)
There are 30 or so species of Sphagnum in the UK and they do look quite similar making it hard to tell them apart. Colour can be helpful in identification with species ranging from red and pink, to orange and green, giving the peat bog a beautiful vibrancy. Amongst the Sphagnum mosses you can find specialists like the Round-leaved Sundew, a carnivorous plant which traps and digests insects in its glandular leaves and hairs. Hare’s-tail Cottongrass is another bog species along with Bog Rosemary, Cranberry and Bog Asphodel.
Image: Closeup of Sphagnum Moss
Did you know that Sphagnum moss has antiseptic qualities? It was used in the First World War to bandage wounds because it kept the pH level low around the wound, inhibiting the growth of bacteria. During the war ‘moss drives’ took place when volunteers were recruited to collect the moss. They would ‘fill the sack three-quarters full, drag to hard ground and dance on it to extract the greater percentage of water’.
Article by Fiona Gomersall, Ecologist
We are running volunteer sessions to plant sphagnum moss on our peatlands as part of a restoration project. Come and join us for some friendship and fresh air on 13th and 27th February – contact us for more information.