Peat Formation
Peat is a partially decayed organic matter laid down in anaerobic, or lacking oxygen, conditions in wetlands. Peat forms when plant material, usually in marshy areas, is inhibited from decaying fully by acidic conditions. It is composed mainly of peat moss or sphagnum, but also includes trees, grasses, and other marshland vegetation. It also includes many other types of organic remains such as fungi, insects, pollen, and on occasion dead animals. Peat formed in very wet conditions will grow considerably faster and therefore will be less decomposed than that in drier places. This property lets scientists use peat as an indicator of changes in climates.
Types of Peatland
There are six basic types of peatlands, blanket mires are rain fed peatlands generally one to three meters deep. Many of the peatlands in the United Kingdom are of this type, blanket mires usually develop in cool climates with small seasonal temperature changes and about one meter of......
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