%0 Research Notes
%T Two microscopic methods for the determination of peat types
%A Haihu, Kirsti
%A Etelämäki, Hannu
%D 1986
%J Suo - Mires and peat
%V 37
%N 2
%U http://suo.fi/article/9614
%X Preparation of peat samples, identification of tissues and estimation of constituents are important in microscopic determination of peat type. Two microscopic methods for determining peat type are described: a wet sieving method and a drying, pulverizing and KOH solution method.
The wet sieving method does not involve a tissue-destroying base or acid treatment. In both methods slides are prepared from the peat suspension by pipetting and drying. The tissues are then identified under a microscope and checked by reference to literature and a slide collection. The amount of peat factors is estimated by the point frequency method. The wet sieving method is simpler and gives a higher proportion of better preserved tissues, making tissue identification more reliable.

Key words: peat type, epidermic tissues, wet sieving, point frequency method, microscopy.