The Moss in Your Christmas Decorations Could Be Storing DNA From Rare Species
It’s that time of year when cozy, rustic wreaths and centerpieces adorn our homes. But the tufts of moss nestled in these decorations aren’t just decorative greenery. It could contain microscopic traces of foxes, badgers, birds and even rare species you’ve never seen, according to new research.
A study published in Molecular Ecology Resources shows that moss functions as a remarkably efficient natural collector of environmental DNA (eDNA) – the genetic fragments that animals, plants and microorganisms constantly shed into their environments.
As biodiversity loss and climate change accelerate, this humble plant could become a powerful new tool for tracking life on Earth.
Learn more: Sailing the Waters: The Potential Benefits and Side Effects of Sea Moss
What did scientists find hidden inside the moss?
Kasun Bodawatta samples moss in Lille Vildmose, Denmark
(Image credit: Timothy Cutajar)
When researchers analyzed tiny samples of moss from the Lille Vildmose nature reserve in Denmark, the results were surprising. From plots measuring just 2 x 2 inches, they identified 13 species of birds, 11 species of mammals, and 2 species of amphibians. The moss also revealed a teeming microscopic world, including 54 invertebrates, 21 plant species, 553 bacterial genera and 210 fungal genera.
Among the animals detected were species like bison and badgers, showing that the moss doesn’t just collect DNA from the most common animals on the landscape.
As lead author Kasum Bodawatta explains in a press release, “by simply dabbing the surface of tiny pieces of moss with a cotton swab, we were able to detect local wildlife like bison and badgers – and not just pig DNA, which is widespread across much of the Danish landscape. This shows the great potential of moss for monitoring natural biodiversity.”
Researchers also found that the moss picks up DNA floating in the air, not just from animals that physically touch it. The moss samples from Ivory Coast even contained DNA from a rare bird species that is no longer found in the region, suggesting that moss can retain genetic signals for surprisingly long periods of time.
How an accidental fall triggered this discovery
The idea that moss could store animal DNA arose by chance.
“I was doing fieldwork on the Danish island of Christiansø when I tripped and fell on a patch of soft moss. And then I thought: Hey, it’s like a sponge. Maybe moss functions like sponges that absorb environmental DNA, just like sea sponges can be used to collect DNA in marine ecosystems,” Bodawatta said.
To test this intuition, Bodawatta and a team of researchers used a simple cotton swab to gently collect material from the moss surface – no digging, cutting or complex equipment required. They repeated the process in different environments, including savannah and forest habitats in Ivory Coast, with similar results.
Why foam-based DNA sampling is a game changer
Collecting eDNA is already common in aquatic ecosystems, but on land it is more difficult to find cheap and non-destructive methods. Using foam checks all of these boxes.
“The unique thing about moss is that it is present on almost every continent and, unlike most other methods, the cotton swab approach does not require electricity, expensive equipment, or specialized field work. In principle, you can walk through the forest, dab a handful of moss and get a biological fingerprint of the area,” said co-author Kathrin Rousk.
Due to its simplicity, the technique is also ideal for citizen science, opening the door to large-scale biodiversity monitoring.
“What’s fascinating is that something as simple as moss – something we barely notice – can tell us a lot about the nature around us. We still need to refine the technique, but moss holds enormous promise as a way to monitor animal and plant life around the world,” Bodawatta concluded.
Learn more: 40,000-year-old microbes revived in the Arctic could release greenhouse gases
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