Methane production and oxidation potentials in relation to water table fluctuations in two boreal mires
We studied the response of methane production and oxidation potentials in a minerotrophic and an ombrotrophic mire to water table fluctuations. In profiles where water table had not varied, the water-saturated layers showed significant potentials while the unsaturated layers did not. The production potentials in the saturated layers below water level ranged from 0.1 to 2.4 m gC H4 h ˇ1 (g d.w.) ˇ 1 and oxidation potentials (first order reaction rate constants) betweenˇ0.010 andˇ0.120 h ˇ1 (g d.w.) ˇ 1 . In profiles with constant water level, the maximal production potential occurred 20 cm and maximal oxidation potential 10 cm below water level. When water table varied only a little, product…
Vegetation Change in Peatland Buffers as an Indicator of Active Areas of Run-On from Forestry
Our aim in this study was to evaluate whether coverage change in the vegetation of a forestry buffer wetland can be used to reveal a possible increase in nutrients. To achieve this, we followed changes in vegetation on two peatland buffers, and biomass with nitrogen content in one of them. Nutrient concentrations were periodically lower in the water inflow than in the outflow. Flooding caused a species change in favor of flood-tolerant grasses and Sphagna, but this species composition did not indicate a higher trophic level. Nitrogen content in the reference site's original surface peat layer, which was rich in woody remains, was higher than that of the newly formed, more acidic Sphagnum pe…