Abstract
Analyses of soil samples from under a Climacium dendroides population demonstrated that the total mass of decomposed moss depends on the depth of the profile, the vegetation period and the character of the habitat. Changes in the degree of moss decay at a depth of 0 -12 cm were estimated by the weight or washimg method during 8 months on two grassland study areas differing in moisture conditions. The degree of moss decomposition increases with depth. The decay rate increases from April to August and then decreases up to November.