Bryophytes have several important economic uses. Sphagnum moss is used to make peat, which can be burned as fuel or used to improve soil fertility. It is also used as a surgical dressing and in wastewater filtration. Some bryophytes have medicinal properties and are used to treat skin diseases, tuberculosis, and tumors. They also have antibiotic properties and can inhibit bacterial growth. Bryophytes help prevent soil erosion, retain moisture, and play a role in bog and forest succession. They serve as pollution indicators and some fix atmospheric nitrogen. Bryophytes also have indirect ecological roles in soil formation and are used in Japanese moss gardens.