Measurement of moss growth rates in Antarctica

This projects measurements of moss growth rates in several habitats will allow estimates of the ages of stands of moss, predictions of the rate of recovery from disturbance, and predictions of moss growth rates under changed climatic conditions.

From the abstract of the referenced paper: Using steel pins inserted into growing moss colonies near Casey Station, Wilkes Land, continental Antarctica, we have measured the growth rate of three moss species: Bryum pseudotriquetrum and Schistidium antarctici over 20 years and Ceratodon purpureus over 10 years. This has provided the first long term growth measurements for plants in Antarctica, confirming that moss shoots grow extremely slowly in Antarctica, elongating between 1 and 5 mm per year.