The microbiome processes of peat degradation

Here is a peak behind the scenes with assistant professor Signe Lett, who is currently running a mesocosm experiment within our OxyMiST project, trying to identify the specific microorganisms that break down peat mosses in bogs.

Signe says: ‘’We are investigating processes of peat degradation though this mesocosm experiment. Our mesocosms are intact peat cores extracted from a Sphagnum peat bog in northern Sweden and represent a close to natural ecosystem. In the mesocosms we control water table depth and can monitor conditions such as pH and O₂ closely throughout the duration of the experiment.
Our main questions are who degrades peat and how do they do it?’’

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