Soft Bog-moss
Sphagnum tenellum
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphagnum_tenellum
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Bryophyta
Class
Sphagnopsida
Order
Sphagnales
Family
Sphagnaceae
Genus
Sphagnum
Soft Bog-moss belongs to the family Sphagnaceae, order Sphagnales, within the Sphagnopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Soft Bog-moss faces severe threats from habitat destruction and degradation of its specialized bog ecosystems through drainage, peat extraction, and agricultural conversion. Climate change poses additional risks by altering the hydrological conditions essential for bog maintenance, while pollution from agricultural runoff and atmospheric nitrogen deposition further degrades these sensitive wetland environments.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Occupies acidic sphagnum bogs, wet heathlands, and oligotrophic wetlands with consistently moist, nutrient-poor conditions. Typically found in areas with high water tables and low pH environments where specialized bog plant communities develop.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Soft Bog-moss faces severe threats from habitat destruction and degradation of its specialized bog ecosystems through drainage, peat extraction, and agricultural conversion. Climate change poses additional risks by altering the hydrological conditions essential for bog maintenance, while pollution from agricultural runoff and atmospheric nitrogen deposition further degrades these sensitive wetland environments.
Agricultural conversion and land use change
Bog drainage and peat extraction
Climate change and altered hydrology
Habitat fragmentation
Pollution and nutrient enrichment
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Soft Bog-moss (Sphagnum tenellum). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/soft-bog-moss