Depth‐dependent regenerative competence in Sphagnum magellanicum defines functional limits for peatland recovery after disturbance

Abstract Introduction In southern Chile, living Sphagnum biomass is harvested manually, but regenerative capacity may vary along the shoot. Understanding this variation is relevant to sustainable harvesting and propagule selection for restoration and Sphagnum cultivation. Objectives We tested whether vegetative regeneration declines with increasing distance from the shoot apex and whether exogenous cytokinin compensates for reduced regeneration in lower shoot portions. Methods Sphagnum magellanicum shoots were collected from four sampling points within one peatland and maintained as independent blocks. Experiment 1 tested six shoot positions and four 6‐benzylaminopurine (BAP) concentrations (0, 1, 10, and 100 ppm) after 60 days. Experiment 2 tested four positions and the same BAP concentrations after 39 and 87 days. Results Regeneration declined strongly with increasing distance from the apex. In Experiment 1, sprouting probability remained high at 1–6 and 10–15 cm but declined sharply from 20 to 25 cm downward. BAP affected sprouting, but higher concentrations did not progressively increase regeneration. In Experiment 2, sprouting and shoot production increased over time, and 1 ppm BAP favored shoot initiation. BAP did not consistently overcome the low response of lower portions, and untreated segments produced the longest shoots. Conclusion Shoot position was the dominant predictor of vegetative regeneration. BAP modulated regeneration but did not eliminate the positional decline, indicating that cytokinin supply alone does not explain regenerative competence.