Comments on: The World in Miniature: How Tiny Creatures Help Mosses Get It On http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/07/23/the-world-in-miniature-how-tiny-creatures-help-mosses-get-it-on/ Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:34:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Veronique Greenwood http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/07/23/the-world-in-miniature-how-tiny-creatures-help-mosses-get-it-on/#comment-33780 Veronique Greenwood Tue, 24 Jul 2012 14:44:40 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=38570#comment-33780 fixed! fixed!

]]> By: floodmouse http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/07/23/the-world-in-miniature-how-tiny-creatures-help-mosses-get-it-on/#comment-33779 floodmouse Tue, 24 Jul 2012 14:28:43 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=38570#comment-33779 This gives a whole new dimension to the phrase, "dewey-eyed." This gives a whole new dimension to the phrase, “dewey-eyed.”

]]> By: Ben Wise http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/07/23/the-world-in-miniature-how-tiny-creatures-help-mosses-get-it-on/#comment-33778 Ben Wise Tue, 24 Jul 2012 13:50:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=38570#comment-33778 Nice to learn that you don't need to have a flower to get an "arthropod assist" in the fertilization process. As for "evidence that springtails and mosses have coevolved," this seems like an overstatement from what is presented. The case can be made that mosses have evolved a means to recruit springtails as aids in fertilization, but I don't see anything in the report that suggests an evolutionary development in springtails related to this effect. I wonder if one exists. Put another way, is there an evolutionary advantage for springtails to make moss reproduction more efficient? Perhaps it's that the mosses provide a nice environment for the springtails to live and reproduce in? Mosses do, indeed, provide a wonderful, wet microenvironment for all kinds of microscopic life (see "Microscopic Life in Sphagnum" by Marjorie Hingley). I suppose it's nice to know that at least some of the tenants contribute to the host's life cycle as well. Nice to learn that you don’t need to have a flower to get an “arthropod assist” in the fertilization process. As for “evidence that springtails and mosses have coevolved,” this seems like an overstatement from what is presented. The case can be made that mosses have evolved a means to recruit springtails as aids in fertilization, but I don’t see anything in the report that suggests an evolutionary development in springtails related to this effect. I wonder if one exists. Put another way, is there an evolutionary advantage for springtails to make moss reproduction more efficient? Perhaps it’s that the mosses provide a nice environment for the springtails to live and reproduce in? Mosses do, indeed, provide a wonderful, wet microenvironment for all kinds of microscopic life (see “Microscopic Life in Sphagnum” by Marjorie Hingley). I suppose it’s nice to know that at least some of the tenants contribute to the host’s life cycle as well.

]]> By: fintin http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/07/23/the-world-in-miniature-how-tiny-creatures-help-mosses-get-it-on/#comment-33777 fintin Tue, 24 Jul 2012 00:34:46 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=38570#comment-33777 I'll never look at dew the same way again. I’ll never look at dew the same way again.

]]> By: JimmyDean Breakfastsausage http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/07/23/the-world-in-miniature-how-tiny-creatures-help-mosses-get-it-on/#comment-33776 JimmyDean Breakfastsausage Mon, 23 Jul 2012 23:41:11 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=38570#comment-33776 I love moss (except for the stuff on my roof), it's like a little world unto itself. Flowering mosses, tiny, tiny mushrooms flowering in flowering mosses. Insects, tiny snails and ants. Moss has different colors for different times of the year, different moisture content, if it's flowering or not. Just amazing and beautiful to look at. I just wish it wasn't on my roof. I love moss (except for the stuff on my roof), it’s like a little world unto itself. Flowering mosses, tiny, tiny mushrooms flowering in flowering mosses. Insects, tiny snails and ants.

Moss has different colors for different times of the year, different moisture content, if it’s flowering or not.

Just amazing and beautiful to look at. I just wish it wasn’t on my roof.

]]> By: Cody http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2012/07/23/the-world-in-miniature-how-tiny-creatures-help-mosses-get-it-on/#comment-33775 Cody Mon, 23 Jul 2012 17:00:31 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=38570#comment-33775 Oops, your sprintails link is duped! Oops, your sprintails link is duped!

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