What is the difference between moss and lichen?

Answer 1

Lichens are a symbiotic partnership between fungi and algae. The fungi supplies the water and nutrients and the algae supplies sugar, oxygen and is able to fix nitrogen. The algae may be a bacteria such as cyanobacteria or a plant such as green algae. They are long lived and exude acids that can break down rock into plant available nutirents and are often found in young soils or extreme landscapes. There are an incredible variety of lichens in many different colors.

Mosses are non vascular plants, plants without leaves, roots or stems. They need moisture to survive though dried moss can sometimes be revived with water.

This link has a good description of lichens.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-lichen-and-moss.htm

However, the part about mosses is not as in depth and is inaccurate about vascular vs non vascular.