Mapping moss diversity and protection across Antarctica

SAEF researchers have completed a continental-scale examination of moss diversity across Antarctica to determine the extent to which their diversity is represented in the current ASPA network.

The first thing to understand about this story is that moss is amazing. 

Especially Antarctic moss. It lives in tiny outposts at the bottom of the world in truly heinous conditions. Surrounded by seas of ice, these tiny green islands can survive being frozen in darkness for six months at a time with no access to water. Plus, most of them basically rely on penguin poo for nutrients.  

Yet, zoom in at a microscopic scale, and you’ll find they provide habitat to tiny life, such as tardigrades and springtails, fostering delicate ecosystems in miniature. 

“Despite their importance, we know little about their diversity and how well they are protected by the Antarctic Specially Protected Areas, or ASPAs, which are nature reserves set up to protect unique or fragile parts of Antarctica,” Dr Rodolfo Anderson, a SAEF postdoctoral researcher based at Monash University explains. 

Dr Anderson and a team of SAEF ecologists are interested in how to achieve the comprehensive protection of Antarctic life within the ASPA system. In order to do this, they need to understand what lives there, how factors such as temperature and water availability influence its health and how this is being impacted by climate change. The ultimate goal is to compile all this proof for Antarctic policy-makers to help them with their decision-making about how to manage and conserve this unique region. 

As part of this project, Dr Anderson and his colleagues Dr Rachel Leihy and Professor Steven Chown undertook a continental-scale examination of moss diversity across Antarctica to determine the extent to which their diversity is represented in the current ASPA network. The study published in Ecography, made several key findings. 

“Moss diversity is higher in warmer areas, and more species live closer to bird colonies and geothermal sites, which provide nutrients and warmth,” Dr Anderson explains. 

The team also found that most moss species live in fragmented communities with small ranges. “Different moss communities are often completely unique, even in areas not far apart. This is likely due to the fragmented nature of Antarctica’s ice-free areas,” Dr Anderson explains. 

He also says they have good protection, but that it’s not perfect. “While ASPAs cover many moss species, some are still outside protected areas, making them harder to conserve.”

The results highlight how studies like this can help address gaps in the ASPA system. This will be increasingly important as Antarctica changes. For example, as temperatures warm, ice-free areas may grow, creating more space that may benefit some moss species but not others. 

“Antarctica may seem far away and irrelevant to many, but it’s a vital part of our planet,” Dr Anderson says.

“Its ecosystems are a reminder of how even small things, like mosses, play big roles in the natural world. By protecting these ecosystems, we’re also protecting the planet’s health for future generations.”

Read more

Anderson, R.O., Chown, S.L. & Leihy, R.I. (2024) Continent-wide analysis of moss diversity in Antarctica. Ecography. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.07353