尾瀬ケ原泥炭断面の分析(第2報) : 有機化学組成

抄録

Of several horizons of highmoor peat profile from Ozegahara (4.5m in depth, cf. J. Sci. Soil and Manure, Japan 26,365 (1955)) the proximate chemical composition characteristics and process of formation were studied. The peat profile was of typical highmoor on the whole, but it was characterized by the presence of several layers of volcanic ashes in midst and of organic clay in the deepest horizons. We could readily differentiate those peats by their well-decomposed, jelly-like appearance from the other fibrous peat. The difference in chemical composition was also remarkable : the jelly-like peat contained much crude protein and lignin-humus complexes, on the contary, the content of bitumen, hemicelluloses in the fibrous peat was high. These results enabled us to guess the following processes which might have taken place in the peat formation in Ozegahara district. During the time of the formation of the deepest horizons and also of the layers containing volcanic ashes, the environmental condition was supposed to be rather aerobic. Then, the decomposition of hemicellulose, cellulose and bitumen was more rapidly performed and the activities of microorganisms resulted in the formation of the large quantities of nitrogenous complexes which remained undecomposed. Thus formed peats resembled in chemical composition rather to lowmoor peat than highmocr peat. With an increase in the age of peat, gradual anaerobic decomposition was considered to be taken place, resulting the deeper the horizon, the higher was the content of lignin-humus complexes or Keppeler's degree of decomposition.