期刊名称：International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
印刷版ISSN：2328-7659
电子版ISSN：2328-7667
出版年度：2019
卷号：7
期号：1
页码：34-39
DOI：10.11648/j.ijema.20190701.15
语种：English
出版社：Science Publishing Group
摘要：White horticultural peat is proven to be a superior growing medium. It is microbiologically active, it binds nutrients and water significantly due to its favorable cation exchange capacity and porosity. Unfortunately, horticultural peat is a very slowly renewable biomass, and good quality horticultural peat is not so common even in peatland-rich countries. Therefore, good-quality and simultaneously renewable growing media alternatives are needed. A new growing medium introduced in recent years is based on Sphagnum moss biomass. According to our results, shallow Sphagnum moss biomass harvesting extended down to a depth of not over 30 cm did not cause any harmful effects on watercourses during the short-term period after harvesting. On the contrary, it is well-known that traditional peat extraction increases the leaching of suspended solids, dissolved organic carbon and nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus into watercourses located downstream. The leaching of SS, DOC and nutrients from peat extraction areas is a significant local problem, since the nutrient leaching may cause enhanced eutrophication and decreased biodiversity, especially in vulnerable headwaters. Because of the probably negligible harmful effects on the water quality, Sphagnum moss biomass can be considered as a truly environmental-friendly growing medium compared with the conventionally extracted white horticultural peat.
