AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Sphagnum moss grows at a rate of 0.75-4.75 inches (2-12 cm) per year. The lower parts of the plant die and accumulate at the bottom of the bog, gradually forming peat. Annual peat accumulation is about 0.5-1.0 mm. Peat deposits can range from a few inches up to 20 feet (5 cm-6 meters) in depth.

Detailed explanation-2: -Peat moss, on the other hand, is the layer of decaying, water-saturated sphagnum moss that has sunk below the surface. It is the basis of swamp land, forming over thousands of years.

Detailed explanation-3: -Sphagnum moss and sphagnum peat moss are terms used to refer to two different forms of the same plant. Both are interchangeably referred to as peat moss.

Detailed explanation-4: -Sphagnum is called peat moss because it grows in acidic marshes (bog) and helps in peat formation. The Sphagnum that has been decayed and dried is known as the peat or peat moss.

Detailed explanation-5: -peat, spongy material formed by the partial decomposition of organic matter, primarily plant material, in wetlands such as swamps, muskegs, bogs, fens, and moors.