Question

Mosses and lichens are found in _____________.
A. Desert vegetation
B. Tropical evergreen forest
C. Tundra vegetation
D. None of the above

Answer 1

Hint:Mosses and lichens are simple living organisms that are found to grow on places like rocks and trees. Mosses are bryophytes i.e. non-flowering plants whereas, lichens are composite organisms.

Complete answer:
Mosses and lichens are mostly found in temperate areas like the tundra and alpine region where the temperature does not exceed 10 degrees even during the summers. In such harsh conditions, big trees fail to grow and sustain. So, mosses and lichens form the main vegetation and provide fodder for organisms like reindeers.Mosses are true plants that have a shoot which contains leaves to aid in photosynthesis. They lack proper roots and instead have thread-like rhizoids that provide anchorage to a substratum. They don’t have a vascular system for the conduction of water and so mostly absorb it through their leaves. Lichens are symbiotic associations of fungi and algae or sometimes cyanobacteria. The algae live inside the filaments of fungi and carry out the process of photosynthesis and manufacture the food. The fungi depend on the algae for its nutrition. Together they function as a single unit.

Hence, the correct answer is option (C).

Note:Both mosses and lichens can grow in tough conditions like on basaltic rocks or cooled lava. They cause weathering of rocks by secreting organic acids that dissolve the rocks thus, resulting in natural breakdown and formation of soil. They play the role of pioneer vegetation in the colonization of fresh barren rocks. It is estimated that 6 percent of the Earth’s land surface is covered by lichen vegetation.