Some very moist, peat communities have moderate to high moss ground cover and low to moderate density sedge growth (inside exclosure). This situation occurs in wetter tundra areas with lots of spring melt water. Nesting geese, particularly when they are on territories around nests, pull individual sedge plants from the roots but avoid the mosses. Several years of accumulated pulling allow the mosses to fill in, making sedge regeneration or seedling growth difficult. As these mosses come to dominate, they create what we call moss carpets. These can be small patches on the edges of ponds or they can be several hundred meters long and wide.
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revised - 12/18/02