Bryophyte communities are known to harbor a variety of invertebrate organisms, including protozoans (Protozoa), rotifers (such as Bdelloidea) nematodes (Nematoda), tardigrades (Tardigrada, also referred to as “water bears” or “moss piglets”), collembolans or springtails (Collembola), mites (Acari) and even catenulid flatworms (more about this here). Bryozoans, on the other hand, are aquatic members of the zoological group Bryozoa (or Ectoprocta) referred to as “moss animals” which are unrelated to true mosses (Bryophyta). Beyond these, one may also find numerous lichens, algae, fungi, bacteria (more about this here) and other organisms associated with bryophyte communities. Note: “Moss balls” are not moss.
Here are some additional resources that may be of interest:
- And Water Bear It Is!
- Bdelloidea (moss rotifers) (a lab exercise from Invertebrate Zoology OnLine)
- Bryophyte Ecology (online text—Volume 2 includes chapters on bryological interactions with zoological species including invertebrates such as tardigrades and other animals)
- Catalog of Organisms: My First Tardigrades (including live collection techniques)
- In the Forest of the Waterbear (chapter 4 of Gathering Moss by Robin Wall Kimmerer, on tardigrades and bryophytes)
- In Praise of Tardigrades (21stcenturynaturalist)
- Invertebrate Communities in Mosses
- Phylum Tardigrada (slideshow by Nik Nikolayev)
- Tardigrade (Wikipedia)
- Tardigrade Reference Center
- Tardigrades (images, videos and more; or also click here)
- Tardigrades (Vimeo)
- Tardigrades (YouTube)
- The animal that can survive the deadliest conditions in the world – The waterbear (YouTube)
- To be Fused: Water Bears and Moss Piglets