Sphagnum fuscum carbon?

Subject: Re: BRYONET: S. fuscum most important bryophyte?
Date: Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:24:10 +0100
From: Ellen Dorrepaal <ellen.dorrepaal@ecology.falw.vu.nl>

BRYONET

Dear bryologists,
I would like to come back on the discussion whether Sphagnum fuscum is
the most important bryophyte or not. I agree that 'important' is a very
subjective measure, and as a peatland carbon cycling ecologist I mean
important in the terms suggested by Dick Andrus. For some time now, I
have been trying to find good references that deal with this at a global
scale, and although I have found several useful studies for individual
regions, I would still be very interested to know the
following:
What is the global importance of S. fuscum in terms of carbon fixation,
carbon stored, or maybe even in terms of (peat)land area covered? Is S.
fuscum the most important moss, or even peatmoss? Any ideas on this or
suggestions for literature dealing with this at a global or continental
scale are welcome.
Thanks,
Ellen

Ellen Dorrepaal
Post-Doctoral Researcher
Systems Ecology
Vrije Universiteit, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences
De Boelelaan 1085
1081 HV Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Tel. +31 20 5986961 / Fax +31 20 5987123
Ellen.Dorrepaal@ecology.falw.vu.nl