Site & Vegetation
Moanatuatua peat bog is 20 km southeast of Hamilton city in the North Island of New Zealand, occupying an area of 1.1 km2, and is 60 m above sea level. The present bog is a remnant of a raised peatland which once covered at least 75 km2. Moanatuatua is rectangular in shape with a maximum east to west width of 700 m and a maximum north to south length of 2000 m. Pastures developed on peat 8-12 m deep surround the bog, while 1-2 m drains provide a distinct perimeter bordered to the east by a row of pine trees (Pinus radiata) approximately 15 m in height.
Vegetation
New Zealand raised peat bogs are distinct from their Northern hemisphere counterparts because their vegetation covers are dominated by two members of the monocotyledonous angiosperm family Restionaceae, the remains of which compose the bulk of the peat deposits. The restiad rushes Sporadanthus traversii and Empodisma minus are sedge-like plants, characterised by leaves reduced to sheathes along a jointed evergreen stem. Sporadanthus is typically found growing in dense clumps up to 1.5 m in diameter, consisting of 200-300 stems reaching an average height of 1.7 m, and topped with feathery brown flower heads. Stems vary in diameter from 0.2-1.5 cm, and are jointed at approximately 20 cm intervals. Growing within the Sporadanthus stem space is Empodisma. Its wiry stems range in thickness from 1-3 mm and form a dense, tangled growth reaching 0.7 m in height in the open, but supported amongst Sporadanthus may reach a height of 1-1.5 m.
Right: Empodisma minus
The next section desribes the Experimental Setup.