Effects of the Substrate and Planting Method on Sphagnum palustre Growth in Subtropical High-Mountain Regions and the Underlying Mechanisms

Abstract

Sphagnum wetlands in subtropical high-mountain regions have been severely destroyed by human activities, necessitating restoration efforts. We studied the effects of substrate and planting method on Sphagnum palustre L. growth and the underlying mechanisms to determine the optimal conditions for S. palustre restoration. S. palustre collected from natural wetlands was grown on nine substrates and with four planting methods in a greenhouse. The results show that S. palustre grew best in mountain yellow-brown soil without added peat or river sand and when planted as intact plants. Substrate pH and P content and capitula P content negatively correlated with S. palustre productivity, while initial biomass of S. palustre at planting positively correlated with productivity. S. palustre restoration on local mountain soil in subtropical high-mountain regions is practical, which may provide a new perspective for restoring peatlands. Traditional restoration method using the 10 cm upper parts of S. palustre as transplanted materials does not destroy the source S. palustre populations in habitats where plants are collected. However, we argue that a planting method using only capitula (top 1–2 cm) may be a better choice for S. palustre restoration, due to the similar productivity but less impact to source S. palustre populations.