How do bryophytes contribute to nutrient cycling in forests?

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Thick green bryophyte moss covers the trunks of three oak trees in a forest, with fallen leaves on the ground. — Bryophyte Bryophyte moss growing on oak trees.

Bryophytes, particularly mosses, play a significant role in nutrient cycling within forest ecosystems. They contribute to this process by capturing and utilizing limited precipitation and airborne minerals.1

By sequestering these nutrients, bryophytes effectively make them unavailable to seed plants, which influences the composition and dynamics of the surrounding vegetation. Furthermore, as bryophytes colonize bare surfaces and contribute to soil formation, they create habitats that support subsequent plant growth. These later colonists, along with the bryophytes themselves, continue to be essential components of nutrient cycling as the forest vegetation develops.1