Peatbog resilience to pollution and climate change over the past 2700 years in the Harz Mountains, Germany

Gałka, Mariusz; Szal, Marta; Broder, Tanja; Loisel, Julie; Knorr, Klaus‐Holger

doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.10.015

Cited by 28 publications

(16 citation statements)

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“…All the bogs might also have been enriched by dry mineral dust from adjacent agricultural lands [39,46]. Finally, we could not rule out that some of the changes may also be associated with intrinsic ecosystem dynamics such as peat accumulation and mostly competition among plants (e.g., [80][81][82]).…”

Section: Potential Causes Of the Observed Changesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation changes in temperate ombrotrophic peatlands over a 35 year period

et al. 2020

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Global changes in climate and land use are occurring at an unprecedented rate, often triggering drastic shifts in plant communities. This study aims to reconstruct the changes that occurred over 35 years in the plant communities of temperate bogs subjected to indirect human-induced disturbances. In 2015-17, we resurveyed the vascular flora of 76 plots located in 16 bogs of southern Qué bec (Canada) first sampled in 1982. We evaluated changes in species richness, frequency of occurrence and abundance, while considering species shade-tolerance and preferential habitat. We calculated beta diversity as betweensite similarities in composition, and evaluated differences between the two surveys using tests for homogeneity in multivariate dispersion. We found a significant increase in species richness and beta diversity over the last 35 years associated with major species turnovers, indicating a biotic differentiation of the Sphagnum-bog plant communities. These changes were mostly associated with an increase in the abundance and frequency of shade-tolerant and facultative species, suggesting a global phenomenon of woody encroachment. Because the observed changes occurred in a few decades on sites free of in situ human disturbances, we suggest that they were likely induced by the synergic effect of the agricultural drainage occurring in the surrounding mineral soils, climate warming, and nitrogen atmospheric depositions. We also believe that further changes are to be expected, as the triggering factors persist. Finally, our results highlight the need for increased bog conservation or restauration efforts. Indeed, a rise in beta diversity due to the introduction of nearby terrestrial species could induce biotic homogenization of the bog flora with that of surrounding habitats and ultimately impoverish the regional species pool.

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Section: Potential Causes Of the Observed Changesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation changes in temperate ombrotrophic peatlands over a 35 year period

et al. 2020

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“…The δ 13 C signature varied in a narrow range around −27‰ and corresponded to δ 13 C values typically reported for peatland vegetation (Broder et al, 2012; O’Leary, 1981). More specifically, the measured δ 13 C signatures fell into the range of minerotrophic peatlands, which are generally somewhat lower than δ 13 C values of ombrotrophic peatlands (Hornibrook et al, 2000; Jones et al, 2010), an effect typically ascribed to a recycling of carbon from 13 C-depleted methane (Jones et al, 2010; Nichols et al, 2009; Raghoebarsing et al, 2005), and/or differences in vegetation and decomposition (Biester et al, 2014; Gałka et al, 2019), but to a lesser extent to decomposition or diagenesis (Jones et al, 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Besides this, the C/N ratios showed a relatively uniform profile with depth, suggesting that there had been little variation in conditions for decomposition and litter inputs were of comparable quality (Jones et al, 2010). In the uppermost part of the core, the C/N values were notably smaller than at greater depth, indicating stronger decomposition due to past drainage or a higher input of minerogenic matter and nutrients, likely altering predominant vegetation (Gałka et al, 2019; Jones et al, 2010). Lower C/N ratios were also observed at the transition from the Middle Holocene to the Early Holocene, when minerogenic input had also increased.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…In general, an increasing trend with depth was observed for the δ 13 C profiles of the analyzed peat cores (Figure 3). The δ 13 C record may on the one hand be an indicator for changes in climate and vegetation (Gałka et al, 2019; Hornibrook et al, 2000; Jedrysek and Skrzypek, 2005). Drier and warmer conditions would lead to more negative δ 13 C values in bogs (Broder et al, 2012; Jedrysek and Skrzypek, 2005), where the C uptake of Sphagnum mosses depends on the thickness of water film on the mosses.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A 14,000 year peatland record of environmental change in the southern Gutland region, Luxembourg

et al. 2021

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A Late Pleistocene/Holocene paleoenvironmental record was obtained from the Rouer peatland (5°54′E, 49°45′N; 270 m a.s.l.), located in the Gutland area of southern Luxembourg. A total of six sediment samples were AMS radiocarbon-dated to obtain an age-depth model. XRF analyses and analyses of geochemical proxies of organic matter (TOC, TN, δ13C, δ15N) were conducted to identify major paleoenvironmental changes in the record. Pollen analysis reveals insights into the vegetation history throughout the last 14,000 cal. yr BP. The record offers unique insights into the evolution of local organic sediment/peat accumulation, as well as into the environmental history of the Gutland region and beyond. The accumulation of organic sediment and peat started at about 13,800 cal. yr BP before present. Until about 6000 cal. yr BP, periods of apparently stable climatic conditions had been interrupted repeatedly by pronounced episodes with increased input of minerogenic matter into the peat matrix (12,700–11,800 cal. yr BP; 11,500–11,300 cal. yr BP; 11,100–10,800 cal. yr BP; 9300 cal. yr BP; 8200 cal. yr BP), indicated by sudden increases of Ti/coh values. After 6000 cal. yr BP, environmental conditions stabilized. Between 4200 and 2800 cal. yr BP, during the Bronze Age, changes in the pollen spectrum indicate an increasing clearance of woodlands. Since the Roman period, an ongoing intensification of grassland farming and agriculture is evidenced. Lowest tree species abundances are witnessed during the Middle Ages. The Modern Era is characterized by enhanced sediment input due to soil erosion. In short, this record complements the Late Pleistocene/Holocene climatic history of the Gutland area and demonstrates that fen peat deposits can be valuable high-resolution paleoclimate archives.

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“…As we note above, mining activity in the region around the field site coincided with revegetation and peat accumulation, and an increase in Fe and K concentrations in the peat. Mining dust can increase the base mineral input and nutrient supply to peatlands (Gałka, Szal, Broder, Loisel, & Knorr, 2019; Ireland, Clifford, & Booth, 2014), and there is evidence of high C accumulation rates related to dust supply (Kylander et al., 2018). On bare, eroding peat surfaces, input of mineral‐rich dust can promote the growth of minerotrophic wetland plant species (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A regime shift from erosion to carbon accumulation in a temperate northern peatland

et al. 2020

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Peatbog resilience to pollution and climate change over the past 2700 years in the Harz Mountains, Germany

Cited by 28 publications

References 57 publications

Vegetation changes in temperate ombrotrophic peatlands over a 35 year period

Vegetation changes in temperate ombrotrophic peatlands over a 35 year period

A 14,000 year peatland record of environmental change in the southern Gutland region, Luxembourg

A regime shift from erosion to carbon accumulation in a temperate northern peatland

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Peatbog resilience to pollution and climate change over the past 2700 years in the Harz Mountains, Germany

Cited by 28 publications

References 57 publications

Vegetation changes in temperate ombrotrophic peatlands over a 35 year period

Vegetation changes in temperate ombrotrophic peatlands over a 35 year period

A 14,000 year peatland record of environmental change in the southern Gutland region, Luxembourg

A regime shift from erosion to carbon accumulation in a temperate northern peatland

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Peatbog resilience to pollution and climate change over the past 2700 years in the Harz Mountains, Germany