The tropical island of Sri Lanka, with a land area of 65,610 km² and 1340 km of coastline, is highly vulnerable to impacts of climate change, with detrimental effects on agriculture, water resources, human health, coastal zones, infrastructure, industry, and biodiversity. A general increase in temperature and precipitation patterns, rising sea levels, and increase in weather-related natural disasters, such as floods and droughts, have been traced over the years. Bryophytes (liverworts, mosses, hornworts) occupy a pivotal position in the land plant evolution and form a unique part of the vegetation. Many taxa of bryophytes exhibit observable, distinct adaptations in response to changes in environmental conditions quickly. Bryophytes can be used to monitor climate change in two ways; (i) presence or absence in the ecosystem and (ii) changes in morphology and physiology that can be used for monitoring. Sri Lanka has a rich bryophyte flora consisting of 575 species of mosses, 338 species of liverworts, and 07 species of hornworts. It is estimated that 11% of mosses are endemic; there are no endemic thalloid liverworts or hornworts found in Sri Lanka, and the endemicity of leafy liverworts is yet to be investigated. The taxonomic status of endemic taxa and the biogeographic affinities of many taxa remain unexplored. Further, the potential use of bryophytes as indicators of climate change in Sri Lanka has not yet been investigated. This paper compiles the information on morphological and physiological responses of bryophytes to elevated temperature, increase in greenhouse gases, increased ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation, and fluctuations in humidity. In the light of this gathered global knowledge, possible species of bryophytes to be used in assessing and predicting climate change and developing a climate change model in Sri Lanka are proposed. Asian bryophytes, in general, have poorly been represented in climate change literature. We believe that this knowledge will form the foundation for future research focused on climate change mitigation in other tropical and Asian countries.

斯里兰卡的热带岛屿，陆地面积 65,610 平方公里²和 1340 公里的海岸线，极易受到气候变化的影响，对农业、水资源、人类健康、沿海地区、基础设施、工业和生物多样性产生不利影响。多年来，人们发现气温和降水模式普遍上升，海平面上升，以及与天气有关的自然灾害（如洪水和干旱）增加。苔藓植物（苔藓类、苔藓类、角苔类）在陆生植物演化中占有举足轻重的地位，构成植被的独特组成部分。许多苔藓植物类群表现出可观察到的独特适应性，以快速响应环境条件的变化。苔藓植物可以通过两种方式监测气候变化；(i) 生态系统中存在或不存在，以及 (ii) 可用于监测的形态学和生理学变化。斯里兰卡拥有丰富的苔藓植物群，包括 575 种苔藓、338 种苔类植物和 07 种金鱼藻。据估计，11% 的苔藓是特有的；在斯里兰卡没有发现地方性的拟生物体地钱或金鱼草，而叶状地钱的地方性还有待调查。地方性分类群的分类地位和许多分类群的生物地理亲缘关系仍未得到探索。此外，尚未对苔藓植物作为斯里兰卡气候变化指标的潜在用途进行研究。本文汇集了有关苔藓植物对温度升高、温室气体增加、紫外线 B (UV-B) 辐射增加和湿度波动的形态和生理反应的信息。鉴于这些收集到的全球知识，提出了可能用于评估和预测斯里兰卡气候变化和开发气候变化模型的苔藓植物种类。一般来说，亚洲苔藓植物在气候变化文献中很少被提及。我们相信，这些知识将为未来专注于其他热带和亚洲国家减缓气候变化的研究奠定基础。