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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Early plant succession in two abandoned cut-over peatland areas

subject

description

Initial stages of plant succession (from 0 to 8 or 9 yr) were studied on abandoned peat harvest sites of two adjacent areas in Finland. At the Mustasuo area only 13 field layer species, all perennials, and 3 ground layer species became established during that period and species composition stayed relatively constant. All species occurred sparsely with low biomass. The Riitasuo area was colonized by 43 field layer and 19 ground layer species during the first 8 yr of succession. In that area the originally plantless sites were totally covered by plants within a few years. Many of the first species to arrive were annuals, most of which were soon replaced by perennial species. The great differences between the two areas in the rate and pattern of early succession are suggested to arise from differences in the seed sources and in the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil. The areas were found to differ especially by the thickness of the remaining peat layer, by the particle size distribution of the peat soil and by the contents of nitrate and ammonium nitrogen of the soil.