Improving sustainability of peat moss through its application in reducing livestock emissions

Peat, also known as peat moss, is comprised of decomposed plants. Peatland ecosystems act as natural carbon sinks and carbon storage systems and support biodiversity. Owing to its beneficial properties, peat moss has been widely used in the horticultural and agricultural industries as a substrate and in the waste management industry as an absorbent. However, its harvest from peatland releases anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Thus, using peat moss to reduce GHG emissions from other sectors could compensate for the emissions from peat moss harvesting. Livestock practices emit GHGs, including methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O), and release non GHG emissions such as ammonia (NH₃). Though peat moss has been used as bedding material in animal pens, its effect on reducing emissions from livestock practices remains unknown. This paper reviews the potential of peat moss in livestock manure management to reduce CH₄, N₂O, and NH₃ emissions, presenting alternatives for sustainable use of peat moss. Manure treatments using materials with similar attributes to peatmoss, e.g., acidification treatment, showed that CH₄, N₂O, and NH₃ emissions were effectively reduced. Further, the use of peatmoss as bulking materials in manure enhanced the sorption of NH₃. Hence, peatmoss application in manure may potentially reduce CH₄, N₂O, and NH₃ emissions. Moreover, the benefit of peatmoss application is not only limited to reduction of emissions, but it may also improve soil health when peatmoss-treated manure is applied to soil due to its high carbon content. Therefore, peatmoss application in the livestock industry should be further explored.