BO T 1 5 0 – F O RTA L E Z A , M . A .

SPHAGNUM

SPHAGNUM

• Taxonomy and Evolutionary History• Description• Geographical Distribution• Morphology• Life Cycle• Species Interaction• Importance & Impacts• Philippine Context• Conservation

I. TAXONOMY & EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY

• The oldest fossils of the Sphagnopsida belong to the order Protosphagnales.

• Sphagnophyllites triassicus was known to be the oldest species of sphagnum moss traced from the Triassic period.

• Modern fossils of Sphagnum were dated back from the Jurassic period.

• Taxonomic Key:Kingdom: Plantae Order: SphagnalesDivision: Bryophyta Family: SphagnaceaeClass:Bryopsida Genus: SphagnumSubclass: Sphagnopsida

I. TAXONOMY & EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY

The success of Sphagnum is due to its ability to create a habitat in which few other plants can flourish.Its morphology, anatomy, physiology and composition (organo-chemical) make it an effective ecosystem engineer.Organochemical properties:• Consists mainly of polysaccharides, made up of

glucose and galacturonic acid units• Rich in phenols, including the genus specific and

very stable Sphagnum acid [p-hydroxy-beta-(carboxymethyl)-cinnamic acid]

II. DESCRIPTION

• Common names: peat moss, bog moss, turf moss

• ‘Sphagnum’ would refer to the genus of between 151 and 350 species of mosses.

• It is the only genus of the family Sphagnaceae.

• They are capable of holding water of about 16-20 times as much as their dry weight, depending on the species.

• Aside from acting like a sponge, it is also known for its uses in several aspects.

They are found mostly in damp or wet places, beside streams, in wet woodlands, moorlands and particularly on bogs. They prefer acidic (low pH) soils and they are not found in woods or in areas with waters that contain the mineral lime.

III. GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION

IV. MORPHOLOGY

The plant exhibits two types of branches:• pendant branches – aid in

capillary movement• divergent branches – provide

the plant structureA. STEM- has inner pith and cortical

layer- inner pith: site of food

production and storage- cortical layer: for water

absorption and protectionThe cortical layer have retort cells that are believed to help the moss retain water under intense sunlight and are home to a wide variety of invertebrates and microorganisms.

IV. MORPHOLOGY

B. LEAVESSphagnum leaves have unique and unusual arrangement and they are of two types:• hyaline cells – large and the

most obvious cells; they have thickened bands strengthened by fibrils that serve as supporting material; they help retain water because they are perforated and dead at maturity

• chlorophyllous cells – small and slender cells having chlorophyll to manufacture food

IV. MORPHOLOGY

C. RHIZOIDSIn the absence of roots, rhizoids occur for the Sphagnum moss and these would aid in anchorage or attachment to their preferred substrate. However, these rhizoids are not capable of absorbing nutrients.

V. LIFE CYCLE

Like other mosses, the Sphagnum also has alternation of generations where the haploid gametophyte is dominant and persistent.

They could either be dioecious or monoecious but 80% of Sphagnum species are dioecious.

V. LIFE CYCLE

Gametophyte-have substantial asexual reproduction by fragmentation, producing much of the living material in sphagnum peat landsSporophyte-short lived and consists of shiny, black, spherical spore capsule-raised on stalks to expose the spores in aerial setting to facilitate its dispersal

V. LIFE CYCLE

• Different kinds of sphagnum mosses grow at different rates.

• When they die, they do not rot away because the ground is both wet and acidic.

• Sphagnum mosses produce chemicals which potentially increases the acidity of water and further prevent the decay of dead plants.

• The dead remains of sphagnum mosses pile up and get pressed together to eventually form the soil we know as peat.

VI. SPECIES INTERACTION

Sphagnum mosses provide vital wetland habitats for rare plants and birds.

A. FLORA• Heathers, bog asphodels, cranberry, bog been

and cloudberryThese are colorful plants that grow among

sphagnum mosses which are capable of coping with the harsh conditions in bogs.• Carnivorous plants (sundew)

They have specially adapted leaves which catch and digest small insects.

VI. SPECIES INTERACTION

B. FAUNA• Huge dragonflies

These dragonflies lay their eggs directly on sphagnum mosses.• Birds

They feed and nest on bogs, including those rare bird species like the red throated diver.• Red deer

They wallow in peat baths to get rid of flies and other parasites.

• Otters and badgersThey search in bogs for eggs and chicks of

ground nesting birds.

VI. SPECIES INTERACTION

B. FAUNA• Sphagnum dependent frogs• Pseudophryne pengilleyi• Philoria sphagnicola• Pseudophryne corroboree –

assessed by the IUCN in 2001 as Australia's most endangered frog

• All these frogs lay their eggs on moist sphagnum beds instead of laying them on stagnant waters.

VI. SPECIES INTERACTION

B. FAUNA• Other invertebrates: rotifers, copepods,

tardigrade

VII. IMPORTANCE & IMPACTS

• Ecological Importance

• Soil conditioner – to increase soil’s capacity to hold water and nutrients by increasing capillary forces and cation exchange capacity

• Preservation:*plant fragments and pollen – allow reconstruction of

past environments*human bodies – Tollund Man, Haraldskaer Woman,

Clanycavan Man, Lindow Man, Egtved Girl

• Due to the acidity of peat, bones are being dissolved rather than being preserved. Peat beds can also preserve food as a 2000 year old container of butter/lard was found.

VII. IMPORTANCE & IMPACTS

• Ecological ImportancePreservation:This is attributed to a tanning-like process involving 5-keto-D-mannuronic acid, associated with sphagnan. Sphagnan suppresses microbial activity by strongly binding N through inactivation of exo-enzymes and by sequestering essential multivalent metal cation by chelation.

VII. IMPORTANCE & IMPACTS

Ecological Impact: Peat Fires

Peat has a high carbon content and can burn under low moisture conditions. Once ignited by the presence of a heat source (e.g. a wildfire penetrating the subsurface), it burns.Peat fires are emerging as a global threat with significant economic, social and ecological impacts.

VII. IMPORTANCE & IMPACTS

• Economic Importance• moss carpets for interior housing

accents• used in making garden compost

and added to potting mix• critical element for mushroom

production (pinning)• fuel for heating and cooking;

provide roofing for houses

• Medical Benefits• when dried, the sphagnum

becomes a good absorbent and mild antiseptic

• used for centuries as dressing for wounds because it inhibits bacterial and fungal growth

HEALTH HAZARD

Sporotrichosis – caused by infection of the fungus Sporothrix schenckii• S. schencki is naturally found

in soil, hay, sphagnum moss, and plants, it usually affects farmers, gardeners, and agricultural workers.

• It enters through small cuts and abrasions in the skin to cause the infection.

• Sporotrichosis can also be acquired from handling cats with the disease; it is an occupational hazard for veterinarians.

VIII. PHILIPPINE CONTEXT

Frank C. Gates-In his journal entitled “A Sphagnum Bog in the Tropics” published online through JSTOR, he was able to identify a bog in the Philippines along with the students of College of Agriculture, Los Baños. This was located in Mt. San Cristobal, an extinct volcano 85 km SE of Manila.-It has a lake of about 45 by 20 meters and the bog was found out to be developing on the eastern part of the basin, particularly near the bottom.-However, this investigation was made between 1913 and 1914 and the bog there may have disintegrated due to climatic changes.

VIII. CONSERVATION

• Due to increased urbanization, farming demands, industrial developments and global warming challenges, several organizations have campaigned to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands in different parts of the world.• Scottish Wildlife WATCH in Scotland and SANBI

(South African National Biodiversity Institute) for South Africa

REFERENCES

Bold, H. C. (1967). Morphology of plants. Retrieved August 26, 2012 from

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphagnum>Gates, F. C. (1915). A Sphagnum bog in the tropics. Retrieved September 04, 2012 from

<http://www.jstor.org.>Phephu, N. (2009). Sphagnum. Retrieved August 26, 2012 from

<http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantqrs/sphagnum.htm>Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission. All about...sphagnum moss. Retrieved August 26,

2012 from <http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/education/sphagnum%20moss.pdf>Sphagnum moss. Retrieved August 26, 2012 from <http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/Survival/Pages/sphagnummoss.html>The Public Face of Biology 321, UBC. Introduction to bryophytes. Retrieved August 26, 2012 from

<http://blogs.ubc.ca/biology321/?page_id=54>