R. S. Clymo
1987
Citations
2
Influential Citations
46
Citations
Journal
Journal name not available for this finding
Abstract
Peat-accumulating wetlands occupy 2–3% of the Earth’s land surface. Sphagnum, an important constituent of much of the peatland vegetation, is responsible for initiating acid conditions in ombrotrophic bogs and, because it decays disproportionately slowly, becomes over-represented in peat. Several features of Sphagnum physiology are important: (1) the plant produces polyuronic acids which, by cation exchange, release H+ into the bog watery (2) it is sensitive to the combination of high pH and high Ca2+ concentration together, though not to each separately; (3) it is sensitive to even moderate concentrations of o-phosphate, NO3 − and NH4 +; and (4) it is sensitive to moderate concentrations of HSO3 −.