What are the properties of peat moss?
1 Answer
Peat mosses are small insconpicuos plants. They are phylogenetically old and primitive.
Explanation:
An intact peat moss is partly alive and partly dead. It's top part is alive. Growth occurs exclusively at the plants head. The bottom part of the moss has died due to lack of light and is already partially decayed. This feature can be explained by the fact that peat mosses have neither roots nor any true vascular system of fluid transportation. They do not bear flowers or blossoms. Nutrition of the living part is independent of its dead bottom section.
They also have an extraordinary capacity to raise the water table by trapping rain water in spaces between stems and leaves. Thus accumulation of Spahgnum (peat moss) can store water since both living and dead plants can hold large quantities of water inside their cells. Empty cells help retain water in drier conditions, forming large mires, raised bogs and blanket bogs. Peat moss can also acidify its surroundings by taking up cations, such as Calcium and Magnesium and realising hydrogen ions.
