ROLE OF WETLAND PLANTS IN THE DIURNAL CONTROL OF CH4 AND CO2 FLUXES IN PEAT

We demonstrate that a major portion of the microbial activities in pea t monoliths are driven by photosynthetic processes and that effluxes o f CH4 and CO2 are regulated by the surface vegetation. CH4 and CO2 mon itored continuously at a depth of 15 cm and in the headspace above the peat showed oscillatory concentration changes over a 24-h cycle. Comp arative anatomy of the vegetative organs of tracheophytes associated w ith the peat bog revealed the presence of an extensive lacunar system in the roots, rhizomes and leaves of several monocotyledonous species; this provides the path of minimal resistance for gas transport in wat erlogged peat.