COMPARISON OF VARIOUS MEANS OF MEASURING THE DEGREE OF DECOMPOSITION OF VIRGIN PEAT MATERIALS IN THE CONTEXT OF THEIR RELATIVE BIODEGRADABILITY

Eleven physical and chemical properties of 26 peat materials from a total of five virgin profiles were determined and statistically analyzed for correlations among attributes that relate to the degree of decomposition, and with the rates at which the materials biodegraded. Estimation of fiber content made routinely by pedologists in the field correlated with relative biodegradability better than any other criterion of decomposition and humification. -Authors