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AN OVERVIEW OF FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF CANADIAN PEATLANDS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

Dale H. Vitt
Dale H. Vitt*
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E9
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Abstract

Canadian peatlands can be classified into ombrotrophic bogs and minerotrophic fens, the latter subdivided into poor, moderate-rich, and extreme-rich fens, each with distinctive indicator species, acidity, alkalinity, and base cation content. If hydrology is considered the most important factor in peatland classification then the primary division must be between ombrotrophic bogs and minerotrophic fens; however both chemical and vegetational differences strongly indicate that the primary division of peatlands should be between acidic, Sphagnum-dominated bogs and poor fens on the one hand, and alkaline, brown-moss-dominated rich fens on the other. Although some metals such as sulphur and aluminum also vary along this gradient, nutrient contents of the surface waters do not. Bogs and fens are oligotrophic to mesotrophic wetlands that should be distinguished from eutrophic, non-peat-forming wetlands such as marshes and swamps by the presence in the former of a well-developed ground layer of bryophytes associated with relatively little seasonal water level fluctuation. Oligotrophy is probably maintained in bogs and poor fens by reduced water flow, whereas rich fens maintain mesotrophy by having larger water through-puts; however this is not well documented. Sphagnum appears to have real ecological significance, both in the initial stages of acidification and in controlling surface water temperature. Seasonal variation in surface water chemistry in all peatland types is relatively small, however precipitation events leading to changes in water levels do affect some chemical components. Although both autogenic and allogenic factors affect peatland development, initiation of peat formation and early development of peatlands during the Early and Mid Holocene were considerably influenced by regional climatic change. Later developmental patterns during the late Holocene and those seen at the present time appear to be more influenced by autogenic factors.

Résumé

Les tourbières canadiennes sont ombrotrophes ou minérotrophes, ces dernières elles-mêmes subdivisées en tourbières pauvres, moyennement riches ou extrêmement riches; chacun de ces milieux possède des espèces indicatrices, une acidité, une alcalinité et un ensemble de cations qui lui sont propres. Si l’hydrologie constitue le principal facteur de classification des tourbières, alors le principal embranchement sépare les tourbières ombrotrophes des tourbières minérotrophes, mais les différences chimiques et végétales indiquent fortement que la classification devrait séparer les tourbières ombrotrophes acides à dominance de Sphagnum et les tourbières minérotrophes pauvres, d’une part, des tourbières minérotrophes alcalines, riches, à dominance de mousses brunes d’autre part. Bien que certains métaux, tels le soufre et l’aluminium, puissent varier aussi le long de ce gradient, le contenu en matière nutritives des eaux de surface ne change pas. Les tourbières ombrotrophes et minérotrophes sont des milieux humides oligotrophes ou mésotrophes qui se distinguent des milieux humides eutrophes où il ne se forme pas de tourbe, comme les marécages, par la présence d’une couche basale bien développée de bryophytes associée à des fluctuations saisonnières relativement faibles du niveau d’eau. L’oligotrophie est probablement associée, dans les toubières ombrotrophes et les tourbières minérotrophes pauvres, à un écoulement d’eau de peu d’importance, alors que les tourbières minérotrophes riches sont probablement mésotrophes à cause d’apports d’eau importants, mais le phénomène est mal connu. Sphagnum semble avoir une importance écologique réelle, aussi bien par son rôle au cours des premières étapes de l’acidification que par sa fonction de régulateur de la température de l’eau de surface. La chimie des eaux de surface varie peu au cours de la saison dans les différents types de milieux tourbeaux, mais les précipitations qui engendrent des variations du niveau de l’eau affectent certaines composantes chimiques. Il faut attribuer tout autant aux facteurs autogènes et aux facteurs allogènes la formation des milieux tourbeux, mais les changements climatiques régionaux ont également influencé grandement la formation de la tourbe et les premières phases de développement des milieux tourbeux au début et au milieu de l’Holocène. Le développement des tourbières à la fin de l’Holocène et ceux que l’on observe maintenant semblent influencés davantage par des facteurs autogènes. [Traduit par la Rédaction]

Type
Research Article
Information
The Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada , Volume 126 , Supplement S169 , 1994 , pp. 7 - 20
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1994

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