Currently many unutilised grasslands are cut to comply with EU regulations. The resulting decaying plant material leads to gas emissions. The aim of our approach is to check the possibility of carbon sequestration by conserving the grass cutting material in peat soil.A novel method of plant biomass conservation through peat formation from grass residue has been tested. After seven years the status of mass conservation was high. The visual-tactile characteristics were very similar to those of a weakly decomposed lowland peat from sedges.We analysed the leaching of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium by lysimeter trials. About 7 % of nitrogen and 16% of potassium were leached during the first 7 years. Leaching of phosphorus did not occur as phosphorus had been fixed in the soils rich in carbonate and iron. The study will be continued to investigate whether a stable peat formation will occur.
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