An international research team led by Italian scientists has revealed how mosses of the Sphagnum genus, natural guardians of peatlands, can capture carbon even when submerged in water where CO₂ is scarce. The study, published in New Phytologist and coordinated by the CNR Institute for Terrestrial Ecosystem Research, shows for the first time that the secret lies in the chemistry of the mosses’ cell surfaces: the greater the presence of reactive chemical groups on the outer cell wall, the greater their ability to photosynthesise and absorb carbon dioxide. Peatlands cover just 3% of the world’s land surface but store around one-third of global soil carbon. As global warming threatens to accelerate peat decomposition, potentially turning these ecosystems from carbon sinks into sources of greenhouse gases, the discovery by CNR researchers provides important clues for understanding the resilience of biological surfaces and developing new strategies for environmental restoration.