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The risk of melting West Siberian permafrost mires increases because of current climate warming, which could affect the global carbon balance. Predicting the effects of warming requires assessing changes in the area of permafrost mires. Geospatial models can be used for these purposes, as they allow for large-scale mapping of ecosystems over large areas. This study focuses on ecosystems of the Numto Nature Park (Western Siberia) where mires of various types with and without permafrost are widespread. We used Landsat 8 satellite imagery and the ASTER GDEM digital elevation model as predictors and a vegetation map as a target variable. Fifteen different machine learning models were trained and compared with each other, including four classical machine learning models and eleven deep learning models (neural networks). Among classical machine learning models, the Gradient Boosting model achieved the best results (accuracy of 75.7%), and among neural networks, DeepLabV3 with ResNet50 backbone performed the best (accuracy of 75.8%). Therefore, both models yielded approximately the same accuracy in modeling different types of mires. However, the neural network was better at modeling palsa permafrost mires and eutrophic and mesotrophic mires. In particular, the F1-scores of DeepLabV3 were 80.0% and 60.4%, while the Gradient Boosting model scored 78.5% and 56.5%, respectively. The mapping of the modeling results demonstrated that the use of neural networks makes it possible to preserve the original data structure and degree of data generalization. At the same time, the application of classical machine learning techniques results in ”salt and pepper effect” and leads to the fragmentation of continuous areas but allows to identify smaller details. However, training classical machine learning models with basic multiscale features generated from the data can decrease “salt and pepper effect” but also increases training time and degree of model overfitting. The models were successfully applied to map wetland types on land plots adjacent to the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The balance between photosynthetic carbon accumulation and respiratory loss in plants varies depending on temperature. This leads to a situation where the increased need for carbon is not met when a certain temperature threshold is reached. Over the last two decades, temperature thresholds in carbon metabolism in autotrophic systems have been widely studied. However, it remains unclear how these thresholds manifest themselves in the natural growth of individual plant species. To address this issue, we used data from an extensive monitoring of the growth of peat moss Sphagnum riparium over 9 years in mires in Karelia (Russia). We measured the growth of shoots in sample plots and obtained 1609 estimates of growth rates during the monitoring period. Investigating the relationship between growth rate and temperature, we identified two distinct intervals in response to temperature. These two intervals are separated by the temperature threshold of 13.2 °C. The first interval, which covers 42% of the growing season, exhibits a strong exponential dependence of growth rate on temperature, with a coefficient Q10 = 4.01. This indicates that growth is most sensitive to changes in temperature within this range. In contrast, the second interval (58% of the growing season) shows a weaker dependence, with a Q10 coefficient of 1.21, suggesting that growth is less responsive to changes within this temperature range. The temperature threshold was found to be negatively related to May (r = −0.76; p = 0.018) and September (r = −0.78; p = 0.012) temperatures of the previous growing season, and together they best explain (r = −0.91; p = 0.0007) the temperature threshold. Overall, our findings suggest that the temperature threshold does exist in the growth of S. riparium and can be identified in different years. The negative correlation between temperature threshold and May and September temperatures from the previous year indicates that intervals in the growing season with temperatures near the temperature threshold have an impact on subsequent carbon balance and are particularly significant for the further growth and development of Sphagnum mosses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The balance between photosynthetic carbon accumulation and respiratory loss in plants varies depending on temperature. This leads to a situation where the increased need for carbon is not met when a certain temperature threshold is reached. Over the last two decades, temperature thresholds in carbon metabolism in autotrophic systems have been widely studied. However, it remains unclear how these thresholds manifest themselves in the natural growth of individual plant species. To address this issue, we used data from an extensive monitoring of the growth of peat moss Sphagnum riparium over 9 years in mires in Karelia (Russia). We measured the growth of shoots in sample plots and obtained 1609 estimates of growth rates during the monitoring period. Investigating the relationship between growth rate and temperature, we identified two distinct intervals in response to temperature. These two intervals are separated by the temperature threshold of 13.2 °C. The first interval, which covers 42% of the growing season, exhibits a strong exponential dependence of growth rate on temperature, with a coefficient Q10 = 4.01. This indicates that growth is most sensitive to changes in temperature within this range. In contrast, the second interval (58% of the growing season) shows a weaker dependence, with a Q10 coefficient of 1.21, suggesting that growth is less responsive to changes within this temperature range. The temperature threshold was found to be negatively related to May (r = −0.76; p = 0.018) and September (r = −0.78; p = 0.012) temperatures of the previous growing season, and together they best explain (r = −0.91; p = 0.0007) the temperature threshold. Overall, our findings suggest that the temperature threshold does exist in the growth of S. riparium and can be identified in different years. The negative correlation between temperature threshold and May and September temperatures from the previous year indicates that intervals in the growing season with temperatures near the temperature threshold have an impact on subsequent carbon balance and are particularly significant for the further growth and development of Sphagnum mosses.

Peatlands are the most dense terrestrial carbon stock and since the last glacial epoch northern peatlands have accumulated between 400 and 1000 Gt of carbon. Although the horizontal development history of the peatlands during the Holocene has been previously researched, these studies have overlooked the current peatland margins. This has led to a long‐standing view that the lateral expansion of the peatlands has halted or significantly slowed down. However, no concentrated effort focusing on the recent development of the peatland margins has been conducted. To fulfil this knowledge gap, we studied the development of peatland margins in five Finnish peatlands. In addition, we studied the effect of peatland subsoil characteristics and past forest fires on the peatland expansion. We sampled 15 transects with a total of 47 peat cores utilizing 14C radiocarbon dating on the basal layers of these peat cores. Our results show that the Northern peatlands are still expanding with four of our study sites having recent, post‐1950's basal ages in the peatland margins. In addition, the rate of peatland lateral expansion has increased during the last 1500 years in our study sites, challenging the current knowledge of the recent peatland expansion dynamics. We recorded lateral expansion rates of 0.1–6.4 cm/year from the sites studied. The rate of lateral expansion was restricted by local characteristics, especially the steepness of subsoil (p =.0108). Forest fires likely played an important role as the trigger for lateral expansion in southern study sites with large number of charcoal found at the basal layer of the peat cores. Depending on the scope of this recent lateral expansion across the vast northern peatlands, the effect on the carbon balance could be significant and should be taken into account when estimating the development of carbon pools in these crucial ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Restoration of natural processes in ecosystems is key to mitigate the biodiversity crisis. Here, we evaluate 20 Danish stream‐valley restoration projects—mainly by rewetting—in terms of successful restoration of natural wetland habitats. We used quadratic discriminant analysis and generalized linear models to compare 80 vegetation plots from the restoration projects with >60,000 natural or semi‐natural wetland reference plots. We modeled the influence of time since restoration, grazing, rewetting, and nutrient availability on (1) the probability that study plots belong to natural habitats and (2) their richness of high‐quality‐habitat indicator species. The probability of a restored wetland having developed into a natural wetland habitat—such as an alkaline fen—was generally below 10%. Also, we found only half as many indicator species in restored wetlands than in reference wetlands and we demonstrated that the number of characteristic alkaline fen species did not deviate from what could be expected under the prevailing nutrient conditions. We found a negative effect of soil nutrient availability on the number of high‐quality‐habitat indicator species and the lowest probability of plots being natural wetlands in the most nutrient rich plots. The effect of grazing was only positive in the first years after restoration and only in the most nutrient rich plots, while the effect of rewetting sites to historical hydrological conditions was generally negative. Our findings suggest that unnaturally high nutrient availability is probably the core limiting factor for successful restoration of natural wetlands and their associated plant diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we describe and discuss a method based on microscopical field of view (FOV) area to estimate diatom absolute abundances (densities or concentrations), and we statistically verify its reliability, also comparing it to another commonly used method (microspheres). To test the new method, we purposely performed replicate counts, both with the FOV and with the microsphere method, on both subfossil and recent material (samples) from mires. Intraclass correlation (ICC) revealed a high degree of agreement between the measurements obtained for the replicates with each of the two methods, suggesting that both are reliable for measuring diatom valve concentrations. However, the FOV consistently overestimated diatom absolute abundances, as compared to the microsphere method, and the ICC value used to assess the reliability of the two methods combined suggested that the two methods cannot be used interchangeably. The FOV method is relatively simple, has a lower cost, wider applicability, higher resolution, and warrants compatibility with existing datasets. However, there may also be drawbacks, such as the potential for sample distortion during the concentration process. Therefore, it is important to carefully evaluate the strengths and limitations of the different methods before adopting one for specific research or applied questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines what kinds of expressions the human-nature relationship in mire environments have taken in the context of imagined swamp creature narratives, and what the presence of swamp monsters reveals about the wider changes in the human-nature relationship in mires and other wetlands. The theoretical framework of this study is based on environmental humanities, including environmental aesthetics and ecocritical theory. The analysis deals with a range of fictional narratives (comic books, TV-series, literature for adults and children, and video performances) and folklore which feature diverse swamp creatures. Mires have often been considered as strange and fearsome, and both mires and monsters are linked to anomalies and burdened by negative preconceptions. However, attitudes towards mires have slowly changed. For example, along with monsters who sometimes transform into heroes or non-human friends, people’s fears of unpredictable mires are now transforming into fears for these unique environments. In conclusion, the imagined swamp creatures reflect the human-nature relationship of the mires, and at the same time, actively transform it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical composition of lake and mire sediments can be used as proxies of past changes in different accumulation environments. Here, I present these proxies that can be used to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment of the past 16,000 years for many mineral-biogenic series from central Poland and establish regional similarities and differences. Past geochemical studies of biogenic sediments from this region were usually carried out in the context of the genesis of: individual accumulation reservoirs, the development of the relief of river valleys and watersheds; they were also used in combination with other methods of palaeoecological research also reconstruct climatic changes in individual phases of the Late Glacial and Holocene. However, due to the complexity of matter circulation in the lithological and hypsometrical diverse transitional zone between the belts of the Polish Uplands and the Polish Lowlands, an analysis was made to determine the relationship between the conditions of biogenic sedimentation at individual sites using selected statistical analyses. In addition to its description of the geochemical variability of biogenic sediments, this analysis was supplemented by its reference to the spatial differentiation in the relationships between geochemical landscapes and the landforms of various orders. In turn, the method of lithogeochemical facies used for several profiles along the transect from the west to the east of the region made it possible to determine: the origin of water supplying the studied biogenic accumulation reservoirs, the range of individual zones of their supply and the conditions of inflow of allochthonous mineral matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetland ecosystems are important habitats for the growth and survival of numerous terrestrial orchids in Europe. This study reviews the current knowledge on the orchids of wetland vegetation in the Central Balkans. The orchid flora was analyzed from taxonomic, phytogeographical, ecological and conservation aspects. The most important taxa include the two Balkan endemics (Dactylorhiza cordigera subsp. bosniaca and D. kalopissi subsp. macedonica) and the three subendemics of the Balkans and the Carpathians (Dactylorhiza cordigera subsp. cordigera, D. maculata subsp. transsilvanica and Gymnadenia frivaldii), as well as a considerable number of Central European, Eurasian and boreal orchid representatives. Several orchid taxa occurring in the wet meadows and fens of the Central Balkans have a southern limit of their distribution in this part of Europe, suggesting that wetlands are important refuges for them. In total, 33 orchid taxa were recorded in plant communities from five classes, 10 orders and 17 alliances. Most orchid taxa grow in the following wetland vegetation types: wet meadows (class Molinio-Arrhenatheretea, order Molinietalia caeruleae, alliances Molinion caeruleae, Deschampsion cespitosae and Calthion palustris); fens (class Scheuchzerio palustris-Caricetea fuscae, order Caricetalia fuscae, alliance Caricion fuscae); tall-herb vegetation along mountain streams and springs (class Mulgedio-Aconitetea); marshes and herb-land vegetation of freshwater or brackish water bodies (class Phragmito-Magnocaricetea). This study highlights the importance of serpentine and silicate wetland vegetation types as important habitats for the survival of terrestrial orchids. In addition, detailed taxonomic, ecological and chorological studies of the wetland orchids of the Central Balkans need to be carried out in order to establish a successful plan for their conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On examples of n × 100 m2 permanent plots laid in 2005 on peatlands disturbed by quarrying and milling peat extraction in Meshchera National Park (central European Russia), changes in vegetation cover and environmental factors during self-revegetation, the impact of wildfire, and rewetting are considered. Peat extraction pits are overgrown with floating mats, on which mire, predominantly mesotrophic, vegetation is formed. Cofferdams with retained original mire vegetation contribute to the formation of a spatially diverse mire landscape, but they can also be prone to natural fires. The environmental conditions at the abandoned milled peat extraction sites do not favour natural overgrowth. The driest areas can remain with bare peat perennially. Such peatlands are the most frequent targets of wildfires, which have a severely negative impact and interrupt revegetation processes. Alien plant species emerge and disappear over time. To prevent wildfires and create conditions favourable for the restoration of mire vegetation, rewetting is required. With an average ground water level (GWL) during the growing season of −5 to +15 cm, mire vegetation can actively re-establish. Communities with near-aquatic and aquatic plants can form on flooded areas with GWL of +30. This generally contributes to both fire prevention and wetland diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paleoecological reconstructions of hydrological regimes in tropical peatlands during the Holocene are important for the estimation of their responses to changing environments. However, the application of some widely used proxies, such as testate amoebae, is hampered by poor knowledge of their morphology and ecological preferences in the region. The aim of this study is to describe the morphospecies composition of sub-fossil testate amoebae in deposits of a tropical peatland in Central Sumatra (Indonesia) during the Holocene and reconstruct the hydrological regime using morphospecies- and functional-trait-based approaches. In total, 48 testate amoeba morphospecies were observed. Based on morphospecies composition, we distinguished three main periods of peatland development (13,400–8000, 8000–2000, 2000 cal yr BP–present). The application of the morphospecies-based transfer function provided a more reliable reconstruction of the water regime in comparison to the functional trait-based one. The weak performance of the latter might be related to the poor preservation of shells and the greater variation in the functional traits in sub-fossil communities as compared to the training set and linear modeling approach. These results call for future studies on the functional and morphospecies composition of testate amoebae in a wider range of tropical peatlands to improve the quality of hydrological reconstructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peatlands play a special role in the accumulation of carbon and the formation of the gas composition of the atmosphere and its impact on the climate. The features of peatland ecosystems, their distribution, diversity and current state, response to climate change, and role as carbon reservoir, source, and sink of greenhouse gases and its change under human impact are considered. Opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from anthropogenically modified peatlands, and the effectiveness of peatland rewetting and mire restoration for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable management are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pinus mugo shrubs on peat bogs in the Tatra National Park (TNP) were for the first time described as a separated plant association by Obidowicz (1975) from only two mires. Since then, there have been no studies on peat bogs in the TNP and they have not been mentioned in the list of vegetation types of the Park. The research regarding the dwarf pine shrubs on mires in the Tatra Mountains was carried out in 2019. We mapped all patches of such vegetation (total – ~2 ha) on which we made 26 relevés. P. mugo shrubs on peat bogs occur within the complex of mire habitats, such as Norway spruce bog woodlands, raised bogs and poor fens. The shrub layer is dominated by Pinus mugo with admixture of dwarfish Picea abies . Typical plants of the herb layer are Vaccinium myrtillus , V. vitis-idaea , Eriophorum vaginatum and Oxycoccus palustris , whereas the most common mosses are Sphagnum magellanicum , S. capillifolium , S. russowi , Pleurozium schreberi . P. mugo shrubs on peat bogs in the TNP belong to the association Sphagno magellanici-Pinetum mugo .

Here, we describe and discuss a method based on microscopical field of view (FOV) area to estimate diatom absolute abundances (densities or concentrations), and we statistically verify its reliability, also comparing it to another commonly used method (microspheres). To test the new method, we purposely performed replicate counts, both with the FOV and with the microsphere method, on both subfossil and recent material (samples) from mires. Intraclass correlation (ICC) revealed a high degree of agreement between the measurements obtained for the replicates with each of the two methods, suggesting that both are reliable for measuring diatom valve concentrations. However, the FOV consistently overestimated diatom absolute abundances, as compared to the microsphere method, and the ICC value used to assess the reliability of the two methods combined suggested that the two methods cannot be used interchangeably. The FOV method is relatively simple, has a lower cost, wider applicability, higher resolution, and warrants compatibility with existing datasets. However, there may also be drawbacks, such as the potential for sample distortion during the concentration process. Therefore, it is important to carefully evaluate the strengths and limitations of the different methods before adopting one for specific research or applied questions.

Southern South American peatlands (SSAP) play a key role in the ecological dynamics of Patagonia. They mostly comprise of undisturbed environments which provide important ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, water reservoir and habitat for both widespread and endemic organisms. When compared with boreal peatlands, our knowledge of the functioning of SSAP is poor, and it is necessary to raise awareness about their scientific and ecological value and to ensure their conservation. This article examines a broad base of historical and contemporary published research literature on the peatlands of Chile and Argentina, from 1843 onwards, to identify gaps in knowledge, implications for the assessment of peatland functioning, and targets for peatland conservation and management. To achieve this goal, we reviewed a total of 196 research papers/reports from across the peer-reviewed and grey literature. We conclude that gaps in our knowledge and understanding of SSAP have deeply undermined the development of effective conservation strategies for these understudied ecosystems. To reverse this situation, we recommend that future research and management efforts should aim: (1) to build an inventory of the peatlands that exist in SSAP, including their location and area; (2) to ensure land use planning prioritises the maintenance of SSAP ecosystem services; (3) to improve existing legislation and protocols of good and sustainable practice for extractive activities; and (4) to carry out an extensive awareness campaign aimed at the local population and key decision makers.

The carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes measured at a peat extraction site in the Moscow region in different seasons of 2005–2015 are considered. The average daily (taking into account intradaily dynamics) and average annual fluxes (emission factors) of CO2, CH4, and N2O from the interditch spacing (including microscale elevations and depressions) and drainage channels were estimated. The values of CO2 and N2O fluxes from the main interditch surface were equal to 3.3 t C-CO2/(ha year) and 1.1 kg N-N2O/(ha year), respectively; the value of the CH4 flux from the channel was 3200 kg CH4/(ha year). The resulting estimates are consistent with the default emission factors proposed for the "peatland under extraction" land category by the 2013 Supplement to the IPCC 2006 Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories: Wetlands. The results can be used for preparing the national report of the Russian Federation on the emission and absorption of greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peatlands form environmental archives of trace element deposition. In this regard they are particularly valuable for areas such as the Arctic, where regular pollution monitoring is either impossible or extremely costly. The aim of this study was to assess pollution in the Solovetsky Islands (65° 05' N, 35° 53' E) by examining the spatial variability in trace element content of the uppermost layer of peat, immediately below the surface layer of green vegetation. We evaluated Cr, Cd, Ni and Pb contents in samples taken from ombrotrophic (raised bog) and mesotrophic (transitional) mires and in different microtopographical settings (hummock/hollow), and calculated the following pollution indices: geoaccumulation index (Igeo), contamination factor (Cf) and degree of contamination (Cdeg). The contents of these elements were markedly lower in the Solovetsky Islands than reported from other parts of central and northern Europe. Depending on the pollution index considered, the studied peat samples could be classified as unpolluted to considerably polluted. The local spatial patterns showed the highest values of Cd in samples collected near the sea, while the highest contents of Cr and Ni were noted at sampling points located farther inland. Moreover, Cr and Pb concentrations were higher in raised bogs than in transitional mires, and this contrast was accentuated if raised bog was represented by hummocks alone. These patterns are consistent with the likely sources of Cr, Ni and Pb being atmospheric pollution; and with higher mobility of Cd in seawater, which periodically floods the transitional mires. Amongst the trace elements determined, the most consistent values across peat types and sampling locations were found for Ni, which could be successfully used for pollution monitoring even in transitional mires.

Resource resorption from senescing leaves is an important strategy for internal nutrient recycling in plants. However, our understanding of whether the responses of resource remobilization to mire types (fens vs. bogs) differ among various plant growth forms remains unclear. We thus assessed resource remobilization among various growth forms in fens and bogs in the Hani peatland in the Changbai Mountains, northeastern China. We analyzed and compared the concentrations of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in leaves and roots collected in August (mid-season) and September (end-season), and calculated the resource remobilization efficiency (RRE) of four species belonging to four growth forms grown in both fens and bogs. The deciduous dwarf trees (Betula fruticosa) and perennial grass (Phragmites australis) had relative higher leaf RRE than the moss (Sphagnum magellanicum). Although leaf nutrient RRE did not differ between fens and bogs, the deciduous dwarf trees had a higher leaf NSC RRE in bogs than in fens, and the moss NSC RRE was lower in bogs than in fens. Our results suggest that reallocation of mobile carbohydrates seems to be more sensitive to the growth condition than nutrients (N, P, and K) under nutrient-poor inhabits, which may be one of the reasons leading to nutrient limitation in peatlands.

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Copyright of Anales de Geografía de la Universidad Complutense is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Pinus mugo shrubs on peat bogs in the Tatra National Park (TNP) were for the first time described as a separated plant association by Obidowicz (1975) from only two mires. Since then, there have been no studies on peat bogs in the TNP and they have not been mentioned in the list of vegetation types of the Park. The research regarding the dwarf pine shrubs on mires in the Tatra Mountains was carried out in 2019. We mapped all patches of such vegetation (total ~2 ha) on which we made 26 relevés. P. mugo shrubs on peat bogs occur within the complex of mire habitats, such as Norway spruce bog woodlands, raised bogs and poor fens. The shrub layer is dominated by Pinus mugo with admixture of dwarfish Picea abies. Typical plants of the herb layer are Vaccinium myrtillus, V. vitis-idaea, Eriophorum vaginatum and Oxycoccus palustris, whereas the most common mosses are Sphagnum magellanicum, S. capillifolium, S. russowi, Pleurozium schreberi. P. mugo shrubs on peat bogs in the TNP belong to the association Sphagno magellanici-Pinetum mugo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first data on Anthomyzidae (Diptera) from montane and submontane peat bogs, peculiar isolated ecosystems of the North Caucasus, are given based on the faunistic research of 8 bogs situated in Ossetia and Kabardino-Balkaria at altitudes of 800–2290 m. Two species are recorded, the widespread eurytopic Anthomyza gracilis Fallén, 1823 and the boreo-montane A. dissors Collin, 1944. The latter species is recorded far beyond its known range extending it ca. 450 km south. The data on the Anthomyzidae in the Caucasus and Anthomyzidae associated with peat bogs are briefly reviewed. The distribution and origin of boreo-montane insects occurring in peat bogs of the Caucasus are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paleoecological reconstructions of hydrological regimes in tropical peatlands during the Holocene are important for the estimation of their responses to changing environments. However, the application of some widely used proxies, such as testate amoebae, is hampered by poor knowledge of their morphology and ecological preferences in the region. The aim of this study is to describe the morphospecies composition of sub-fossil testate amoebae in deposits of a tropical peatland in Central Sumatra (Indonesia) during the Holocene and reconstruct the hydrological regime using morphospecies- and functional-trait-based approaches. In total, 48 testate amoeba morphospecies were observed. Based on morphospecies composition, we distinguished three main periods of peatland development (13,400–8000, 8000–2000, 2000 cal yr BP–present). The application of the morphospecies-based transfer function provided a more reliable reconstruction of the water regime in comparison to the functional trait-based one. The weak performance of the latter might be related to the poor preservation of shells and the greater variation in the functional traits in sub-fossil communities as compared to the training set and linear modeling approach. These results call for future studies on the functional and morphospecies composition of testate amoebae in a wider range of tropical peatlands to improve the quality of hydrological reconstructions.

On examples of n × 100 m2 permanent plots laid in 2005 on peatlands disturbed by quarrying and milling peat extraction in Meshchera National Park (central European Russia), changes in vegetation cover and environmental factors during self-revegetation, the impact of wildfire, and rewetting are considered. Peat extraction pits are overgrown with floating mats, on which mire, predominantly mesotrophic, vegetation is formed. Cofferdams with retained original mire vegetation contribute to the formation of a spatially diverse mire landscape, but they can also be prone to natural fires. The environmental conditions at the abandoned milled peat extraction sites do not favour natural overgrowth. The driest areas can remain with bare peat perennially. Such peatlands are the most frequent targets of wildfires, which have a severely negative impact and interrupt revegetation processes. Alien plant species emerge and disappear over time. To prevent wildfires and create conditions favourable for the restoration of mire vegetation, rewetting is required. With an average ground water level (GWL) during the growing season of −5 to +15 cm, mire vegetation can actively re-establish. Communities with near-aquatic and aquatic plants can form on flooded areas with GWL of +30. This generally contributes to both fire prevention and wetland diversity.

Wetland ecosystems are important habitats for the growth and survival of numerous terrestrial orchids in Europe. This study reviews the current knowledge on the orchids of wetland vegetation in the Central Balkans. The orchid flora was analyzed from taxonomic, phytogeographical, ecological and conservation aspects. The most important taxa include the two Balkan endemics (Dactylorhiza cordigera subsp. bosniaca and D. kalopissi subsp. macedonica) and the three subendemics of the Balkans and the Carpathians (Dactylorhiza cordigera subsp. cordigera, D. maculata subsp. transsilvanica and Gymnadenia frivaldii), as well as a considerable number of Central European, Eurasian and boreal orchid representatives. Several orchid taxa occurring in the wet meadows and fens of the Central Balkans have a southern limit of their distribution in this part of Europe, suggesting that wetlands are important refuges for them. In total, 33 orchid taxa were recorded in plant communities from five classes, 10 orders and 17 alliances. Most orchid taxa grow in the following wetland vegetation types: wet meadows (class Molinio-Arrhenatheretea, order Molinietalia caeruleae, alliances Molinion caeruleae, Deschampsion cespitosae and Calthion palustris); fens (class Scheuchzerio palustris-Caricetea fuscae, order Caricetalia fuscae, alliance Caricion fuscae); tall-herb vegetation along mountain streams and springs (class Mulgedio-Aconitetea); marshes and herb-land vegetation of freshwater or brackish water bodies (class Phragmito-Magnocaricetea). This study highlights the importance of serpentine and silicate wetland vegetation types as important habitats for the survival of terrestrial orchids. In addition, detailed taxonomic, ecological and chorological studies of the wetland orchids of the Central Balkans need to be carried out in order to establish a successful plan for their conservation.

Understanding long-term ecological development of wetlands is critical to effective management. The islands of Bass Strait, southeast Australia, have several biologically diverse natural wetlands, including Ramsar sites, yet little is known about their ecology. Here, through a multi-proxy palaeoecological approach, we seek to understand how wetland floristic composition and hydrology has changed on truwana/Cape Barren Island (CBI), and how changes in fire regimes have affected wetland integrity and ecological dynamics. We use wetland fossil pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs and sediment geochemistry to reconstruct wetland development and compare it to existing records of terrestrial vegetation and fire regimes from the island. Our results suggest periods of moderately saline–brackish conditions and moderate fire activity supported high floristic richness in wetlands, while floristic richness reduced during periods of extremely high or low salinity or high fire activity. Past changes in precipitation regimes primarily drove water-level changes in wetlands; however, changes in wetland and surrounding terrestrial vegetation cover also contributed to wetland water level dynamics. We recommend long-term monitoring of wetland salinity and water-level changes to track potential changes in wetland floristic richness on truwana/CBI. Controlled fires could also be used to manage wetland biodiversity after careful consideration and experimentation to determine appropriate fire levels that maximize wetland floristic richness and biocultural values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, a severe wildfire situation threatening the territory along the periphery of the Bastak State Nature Reserve (Russia) has developed in the Petrovskaya Pad'. In this paper, we assessed the current state of the vegetation cover and post-pyrogenic changes in the Petrovskaya Pad', based on the geobotanical survey during a joint expedition in 2009. At present, this area of the Middle Amur Lowland is a vivid example of wetland degradation due to the repeated wildfire impact initiated by the local people and agricultural workers in the Amur region. The widespread xerophytisation process of fen vegetation, due to a sharp drop in the groundwater level, was observed. A comparison with the data of previous studies led to the conclusions that now mesotrophic shrub-Sphagnum bogs, described earlier, have completely disappeared from the vegetation cover of the territory. We suggest that their degradation is caused by the continuously acting pyrogenic factor. In addition, the paper for the first time provides data on the dynamics of the acrotelm structure in the post-pyrogenic period, which were obtained during a nine-year monitoring. The profound changes in the acrotelm structure are responsible for the restoration of mesotrophic bogs taking decades.

Aptian paralic and Paleocene intracratonic mires that bracket the northern reaches of the Western Interior Seaway preserve Milankovitch orbital forcing cycle signals and record the dynamic interplay with craton-linked salt dissolution tectonism in the Alberta Basin foreland and the adjoined intracratonic Williston Basin to the southeast. These mires, now lignite-bearing strata, along the northern Seaway provide a proxy record for Milankovitch orbital signals that would not have been otherwise recorded because of the voluminous clastic sediments accumulated along the western Canadian portion of the Cretaceous Seaway, in contrast to pervasive orbital forcing signals recorded by organic-rich cyclic carbonate deposits accumulated along the central and southern reaches of the Seaway. Prior to opening of the northern segment of the Seaway, the base levels of the paralic mires of the lower McMurray Formation (Aptian) were hydraulically linked to the rising sea-level fluctuations resulting from southward transgression of the Boreal Sea. In contrast, inland fluvial-margin peats of the Paleocene Ravenscrag and Fort Union formations accumulated following the closure of the Cretaceous Seaway. These mires were increasingly sensitive to aquifer-eustatic controls on the water table–mire relationship. Orbital forcing signals were preserved in the central Williston Basin mires in contrast to their masking by salt dissolution collapse-subsidence structures that exerted dominant control on peat mire configurations across the northern Williston Basin. Paralic mires accumulated at the top of the lower McMurray Formation record short-term orbital forcing, possibly representing an obliquity cycle recorded by lithotype sequencing in petrographic profiles. Mires accumulated along the coastal areas during the transition from a lowstand system tract to an early transgressive system tract. The linkage of sea level with coastal water table fluctuations permitted pervasive accumulations of paralic mires at the top of the lower McMurray Formation. Internal mire cycles resulted in coal lithotype profiles responsive to Milankovitch fifth-order and higher sub-cycles. In contrast, concurrent cataclysmic sinkhole collapses and differential fault block displacements were responsive to underlying salt removal patterns. The sea level/water table linkage was punctuated by the salt tectonism and orbital forcing signals were masked, resulting in sinkholes infilled with different coal lithotype sequences. Following the closure of the Western Interior Seaway, inland Paleocene fluvial-margin mires across the northern intracratonic Williston Basin were responsive to larger scale salt removal events in the subsurface. The collapse-subsidence structures were propagated several km up-section, diffused but sufficient to control mire configurations and mask orbital forcing signals. Southward into the central and southwestern Williston Basin, these strong salt dissolution tectonism patterns were out-of-phase with the repetitive mire accumulations, permitting the recognition of the markedly weaker signals of the 100 kyr orbital eccentricity cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To develop the first comprehensive syntaxonomic classification for patchy montane mire and spring vegetation across the Irano‐Turanian phytogeographical region in Iran, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan and to explore the effects of the main environmental and geographic gradients on their distribution. Location: Alborz Mountain range (Iran), Pamir‐Alai Mountains (Tajikistan) and Tian Shan Mountains (Kyrgyzstan); total area about 3,000,000 km2. Methods: A database of 1,015 vegetation relevés including a total of 675 vascular and bryophyte taxa was established, covering the large mountains ranges of the Irano‐Turanian regions in Iran, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, at altitudes ranging from 1,300 to 4,505 m a.s.l. A semi‐supervised k‐means analysis was performed. Additional analyses were carried out to show differences among predefined vegetation groups in terms of phytogeographical, climatic and compositional factors. Results: Two large groups of mire communities, referable to mires and springs were identified. Twenty associations, one subassociation and four alliances of these wetlands, belonging to three orders and three classes, were defined. Among them, ten associations, one subassociation and two alliances were formally described as new syntaxa. Moreover, a new order Caricetalia orbicularis, that comprises phytogeographically unique vegetation of the Irano‐Turanian mires, is proposed. Conclusions: Based on our results and comparison between the Irano‐Turanian and other phytogeographical regions, we propose a first comprehensive syntaxonomic synopsis for the Irano‐Turanian mires and springs. Despite some identical character species and their vicariant nature, the Irano‐Turanian, Euro‐Siberian and Mediterranean mires and springs show considerable compositional differences. Irano‐Turanian wetlands contain a large and distinct set of endemic plant species, which are mixed with Euro‐Siberian species in the west and north, but predominate in the eastern locations. They have a patchy pattern and scattered distribution and serve as inland hotspots of wetland vegetation in the vast dry landscape of southwest and Central Asia.Mires and springs have patchy and scattered distribution and serve as inland hotspots of wetland vegetation in the vast dry landscape of the Irano‐Turanian region in southwest and Central Asia. The first comprehensive syntaxonomic classification of these conservationally important ecosystems was developed and a new order proposed comprising phytogeographically unique vegetation of the Irano‐Turanian mires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fens and bogs are distinct in terms of their biogeochemistry, water table behavior, and net peat-accumulation regimes. While most peatlands start developing as fens, a large fraction of them eventually shift to bogs in a step-like ecosystem shift. This transition has traditionally been assumed to be primarily controlled by the ecosystem itself (autogenic control). Here we use 90 peat profiles from southernmost South America (SSA) as a case study that illustrates a synchronous, regional-scale shift from fen to bog around 4200 years ago. In light of these results, we propose and discuss conceptual models that link environmental change (allogenic control) as a trigger to the fen-bog transition (FBT). In addition, our stratigraphic analyses show that Sphagnum deposits are associated with greater peat masses, larger soil-carbon stocks, and higher rates of peat-carbon accumulation than their non-Sphagnum counterparts, with Sphagnum bogs being characterized by soil-carbon densities over twice that of non-Sphagnum peatlands (medians = 141 vs. 56 kgC/m2). Since fens and bogs also behave differently in terms of their carbon exchanges with the atmosphere, a better appraisal of the processes involved in the FBT could help elucidate the role of this critical ecosystem shift in the past and future global carbon cycle.

High-resolution vegetation maps, at 1:500 scale, were realized in three mires located in the Italian south-eastern Alps (Coltrondo West, 12,800 m2; Coltrondo South, 22,300 m2 and Palù di sotto, 50,600 m2). Vegetation maps were based on topography surveyed by GPS, performed on ground surveys and produced using ArcGIS 9.1. A total of 36 plant communities, whose distribution was reported on the maps, were individuated and classified according to the Braun-Blanquet method. The mires strongly differed from each other with regard to vegetation cover, with Coltrondo West having a prevalent bog-like vegetation and Coltrondo South a prevalently fen-like vegetation. At Palù di sotto, bog-like vegetation covered a surface fed by ground water. This pattern could be explained by the lowering of water table determined by intensive water extraction for human activities. The maps will be profitably used as reference for future monitoring of vegetation dynamics under changing climatic and landuse conditions.

Kilimanjaro is experiencing the consequences of climate change and multiple land-use pressures. Few paleoenvironmental and archeological records exist to examine historical patterns of late Holocene ecosystem changes on Kilimanjaro. Here we present pollen, phytolith, and charcoal (>125 μm) data from a palustrine sediment core that provide a 3000-year radiocarbon-dated record collected from a wetland near the headwaters of the Maua watershed in the alpine and ericaceous vegetation zones. From 3000 to 800 cal yr BP, the pollen, phytolith, and charcoal records show subtle variability in ericaceous and montane forest assemblages with apparent multicentennial secular variability and a long-term pattern of increasing Poaceae and charcoal. From 800 to 600 cal yr BP, montane forest taxa varied rapidly, Cyperaceae abundances increased, and charcoal remained distinctly low. From 600 yr cal BP to the present, woody taxa decreased, and ericaceous taxa and Poaceae dominated, with a conspicuously increased charcoal influx. Uphill wetland ecosystems are crucial for ecological and socioeconomic resilience on and surrounding the mountain. The results were synthesized with the existing paleoenvironmental and archaeological data to explore the high spatiotemporal complexity of Kilimanjaro and to understand historical human-environment interactions. These paleoenvironmental records create a long-term context for current climate, biodiversity, and land-use changes on and around Kilimanjaro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southern South American peatlands (SSAP) play a key role in the ecological dynamics of Patagonia. They mostly comprise of undisturbed environments which provide important ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, water reservoir and habitat for both widespread and endemic organisms. When compared with boreal peatlands, our knowledge of the functioning of SSAP is poor, and it is necessary to raise awareness about their scientific and ecological value and to ensure their conservation. This article examines a broad base of historical and contemporary published research literature on the peatlands of Chile and Argentina, from 1843 onwards, to identify gaps in knowledge, implications for the assessment of peatland functioning, and targets for peatland conservation and management. To achieve this goal, we reviewed a total of 196 research papers/reports from across the peer-reviewed and grey literature. We conclude that gaps in our knowledge and understanding of SSAP have deeply undermined the development of effective conservation strategies for these understudied ecosystems. To reverse this situation, we recommend that future research and management efforts should aim: (1) to build an inventory of the peatlands that exist in SSAP, including their location and area; (2) to ensure land use planning prioritises the maintenance of SSAP ecosystem services; (3) to improve existing legislation and protocols of good and sustainable practice for extractive activities; and (4) to carry out an extensive awareness campaign aimed at the local population and key decision makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Question: Rich fens of the Sphagno warnstorfii-Tomentypnion nitentis alliance require a specific combination of base richness and climate to occur. Their rarity at the southeastern margins of their European range has previously prevented rigorous vegetation classification. We asked how many associations may be delimited here and whether some of them are restricted to the high Balkan Mountains showing high endemicity. Study area: Entire territories of Bulgaria and Romania. Methods: We compiled all available vegetation-plot records, including some hitherto unprocessed data. We classified them by both divisive (modified TWINSPAN) and agglomerative (beta-flexible clustering) numerical classification method, with OPTIMCLASS1 applied to set the number of clusters. A semi-supervised approach (k-means) was additionally applied to confirm the classification of Southern-Carpathian (Romania) rich fens, where some Balkan taxa occur. Differences in base richness and elevation were tested by one-way ANOVA with Tukey's pairwise test. Results: Three associations were delimited and all three occur in Bulgaria, from where only one association had been previously reported. Two associations characterised by Sphagnum contortum and Balkan and Southern-European species occur in Bulgaria, but not in Romania, one at lower elevations around 1,200 m, and one at higher elevations around 2,000 m where pH is lower. One lower-elevation (around 1,300 m) association with S. warnstorfii and S. teres is shared between Romania, Bulgaria and Central Europe. Conclusions: We have described a new high-mountain association, with two subassociations that differ by successional stage and dominant peat moss species (S. contortum and S. warnstorfii, respectively). These subassociations could be reconsidered when more data from other Balkan countries are available. Rich fens in southeastern Europe are rare, have a diverse vegetation, and are deserving of the further attention of nature conservation authorities and vegetation scientists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the sensitivity of Liparis loeselii to changes in habitat conditions, we carried out a study with the aim to monitor population numbers, identify the individual features of the Liparis loeselii population, analyse habitat conditions, identify threats and propose conservation measures to preserve the species. The investigations were conducted in seven unmanaged objects located in three Natura 2000 areas in eastern Poland. The results of this study provide a new insight into Liparis loeselii ecology. The analysed populations inhabited some habitat types: extremely poor fen, transitional mire, rich fen, calcareous fen, spring-fed fen. The content of nutrients was similar in all the habitats. A CCA analysis revealed that the total carbon content, pH, and redox potential of the substrate determine differences between the habitats analysed. Juvenile individuals represented a maximum of 12% of the analysed populations and were the least abundant group of these plants. The flowering was primarily influenced by hydrological conditions. Based on the long-term observations reported in this article, it can be assumed that the species stands a chance of surviving at the localities analysed, provided that the habitat conditions do not change dramatically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the first results of long-term direct measurements of a few major components of carbon cycle in permafrost mire landforms in the sub-Arctic region of Western Siberia, Russia. It reveals the main features of geographical distribution of plant organic matter, including both the above-ground and below-ground fractions of live biomass, the biomass of dead roots (mortmass), and net primary production (NPP) in peat-accumulating flat palsa mires and in “khasyrei”—ecosystems of drained lakes in thermokarst depression on epigenetic permafrost. The study based on original methods of direct field measurements elaborated by authors for northern peatlands. In northern taiga, the NPP of palsa mires was found in the range of 300–580 g m−2 yr−1 and an average biomass of 1800 g m−2; in khasyrei, it accounts for 1100 g m−2 yr−1 and 2000 g m−2 of NPP and live biomass, respectively. In forest tundra, the live biomass of palsa mires was found in the range of 1000–1800 g m−2, and in khasyrei it was 2300 g m−2. The NPP of palsa mires were in the range of 400–560 g m−2 yr−1, and in khasyrei it was 800 g m−2 yr−1. Overall, we conclude that the south–north climatic gradient in Western Siberia is the main driver of plant organic matter accumulation. It was found different across mire ecosystems of the same types but located in different bioclimatic regions.

Analysis of coal-bearing strata in the Paleocene Firkanten Formation in the Central Tertiary Basin of Spitsbergen (Svalbard) has shown that deposition was in a coastal plain setting. Interpretation of numerous cores indicates that deposition occurred in coastal plain mires, lagoons, tidal inlets, barrier bars and shoreface environments. These form a series of shallowing-up successions metres to tens of metres thick. Correlation between boreholes over distances in excess of 100 km proved challenging with no regional marker horizons. However, by constructing paleogeographic maps as part of the process of correlating, and by using analogous modern coastal areas as indicators of facies belt widths, a correlation scheme that provides patterns of facies distribution that are consistent in three dimensions has been created. The resulting stratigraphic framework comprises parasequences grouped into parasequence sets that show an overall retrogradational pattern representing a stepwise transgression over a basin floor that was subsiding due to flexural subsidence. Absence of incision or other evidence for relative sea-level fall within the whole succession suggests that flexural subsidence was sufficient to keep pace with eustatic sea-level falls. The basal unconformity surface is overlain by a poorly sorted deposit of reworked regolith that forms a strongly diachronous unit, occurring at the base of successive parasequences. Individual parasequences formed in response to relative sea-level rises that are considered likely to be eustatic in origin and resulted in flooding of the coastal plain. Centimetre-scale analysis of the coal maceral distribution through the thickness of the lowermost major coal seam indicates that there were also higher-frequency fluctuations of relative sea level, possibly at Milankovitch-scale, during the deposition of individual parasequences. This new facies model and interpretation of the subsidence history of the basin provides a framework for understanding the distribution of sediments within a coal-bearing coastal plain succession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]