The Growth of Sphagnum: Experiments on, and Simulation of, Some Effects of Light Flux and Water-Table Depth

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Abstract
The effects of both shading and of water-table depth on the growth of 3 spp. of Sphagnum were studied. The species (and their usual habitats) were: S. capillifolium (hummocks); S. papillosum (lawns); and S. recurvum (pools and flushed lawns). Water-table depth had little effect on growth measured as increase of dry matter; shading reduced growth and there were specific differences associated with plant size. There were no significant interactions between water-table depth and shading. For growth measured as growth in length, there were highly significant interactions, individual species behaving differently in response to shade and, to a lesser extent, in response to water-table depth. In Sphagnum lawns in 2 natural habitats there was a negative correlation between depth of the water-table and surface-roughness. In experimental conditions surface-roughness increased both as the water-table was raised and as shade increased. A computer simulation of growth of Sphagnum in a lawn was able to reproduce the observed variations in surface roughness. In mixed lawns of 2 spp., the one in its natural habitat out-grew the other.