Few people, however, conjure up thoughts of mosses, liverworts, lichens, mushrooms and algae. They are also fascinating to study and many species are quite simply, beautiful. I recently attended a conference of the Native Plant Society of Oregon where I learned about conserving lower plants. Lower plants serve many important purposes. Freshwater and marine algae are essential to numerous invertebrates, fish, otters, seals and whales.
Lower plants provide homes and protection for many invertebrates and fish.
Also, they are an essential part of nutrient cycles. Some lichens, for instance, are nitrogen fixers. As miniature chemical factories, they collect nitrogen from the air and change it to a form that other plants can use. When lichens die and decompose, the fixed nitrogen is added to the soil. Fungal mycorrhizae, which grow connected to the root systems of many plants, greatly increase root surface area and the plants' ability to collect nutrients.