Biocolonization of cementitious substrates by mosses (Bryophyta): a review

This study aims to systematically analyze the advances on the field of bioreceptive materials for use in the construction industry, especially demonstrating that it is feasible to use mosses for biocolonization of cementitious substrates. The first step is a bibliometric analysis of 270 carefully chosen articles, arranged according to the field of study. Documents relevant to the fields of Engineering and Materials Science were filtered from 113 research and review articles published from 2016 to 2025. Due to environmental concerns, the number of publications on the topic has been rising over time. The examination of these records reveals that a variety of biological entities colonize different substrates in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. In the case of moss biocolonization of cementitious substrates, a range of new technologies used in construction are observed, along with the intrinsic (pH, chemical composition, roughness, porosity, and capillary absorption) and extrinsic (humidity, temperature, and illumination) parameters required to promote biocolonization as well as inoculation and growth monitoring techniques. The main findings show that mosses can colonize cementitious substrates, especially if adequate intrinsic parameters - i.e. bioreceptive characteristics - are provided. The use of this technology in construction is still in the early stages as a promising technology to promote sustainability that it will probably expand and become more accessible.