Review of the routes to ombrotrophy in raised bogs from Britain and Ireland

Hughes, P.D.M. (2003) Review of the routes to ombrotrophy in raised bogs from Britain and Ireland. Bauerochse, A. and Haßmann, H. (eds.) In Archaeological sites - archives of nature - nature conservation - wise use. Proceedings of the Peatland Conference 2002 in Hannover, Germany. Verlag Marie Leidorf. 7 pp .

Abstract

The development sequences of fourteen raised bogs from Britain and Ireland are reviewed. Plant macrofossil and radiocarbon evidence suggest that hydroseries can become ombrotrophic in both hyper-oceanic and suboceanic conditions but the character of the fen-bog transition varies in each case. In highly humid conditions true raised bog communities can develop directly over swamp, fen and fen carr and the mire water table can remain near the surface throughout the transition. In sub-oceanic conditions bogs may develop towards ombrotrophy via an Eriophorum vaginatum/Calluna-dominated stage in which very highly humified peat is laid down. This peat, which has a very fine pore structure, may act as a foundation for the development of a raised water mound. True oceanic Sphagnum-rich bog, with a near surface water table, may develop later as a result of a climatic shift towards higher effective precipitation. Bogs can also become raised because of a change in the local drainage basin conditions. Disruption of the ground and surface water supply can lead to isolation of the peat surface and a switch to oligotrophic conditions.

This record has no associated files available for download.

Contributors

Download statistics