Peat bogs represent unique ecosystems that are under particular threat from fragmentation due to peat harvesting, with only 38% of the original peatland in Europe remaining intact and unaffected by peat cutting, drainage and silviculture. In this study, we have used microsatellite markers to determine levels and patterns of genetic diversity in both cut and uncut natural populations of the peat...

Deep karst depressions with a large volume of water due to a poor water drainage system (caused by a clay layer, etc.) and with steeply sloping sidewalls paludificate in a special way. Peat formation begins with dead vegetative material (leaves, etc.) floating on the water's surface in the center of the karst lake. The peat grows laterally from the center of the depression to its edges and the ...

Peat replacement is an increasing demand in containerized and transplant production, due to the environmental constraints associated to peat use. However, despite the wide information concerning the use of alternative materials as substrates, it is very complex to establish the best materials and mixtures. This work evaluates the use of mixture design and surface response methodology in a peat ...

Little is known about the processes of infiltration and water movement in the upper layers of blanket peat. A tension infiltrometer was used to measure hydraulic conductivity in a blanket peat in the North Pennines, England. Measurements were taken from the surface down to 20 cm in depth for peat under four different vegetation covers. It was found that macropore flow is a significant pathway f...

Peat normally has high organic matter content and is generally associated with high compressibility and high magnitude and rates of creep. It may also be associated with poor strength characteristics and a risk of large deformation. The main specifications in the peat nature are the presence of acidic or less commonly alkaline media, combined with a high level of ground water. One of the most c...

A review of Staphylinidae known from peat bogs of Belarus is presented with data on their distribution at various sites. The staphylinid fauna, as reported here, includes 66 species, 33 genera, and 10 subfamilies. The results showed a low species richness of rove beetles and a high occurrence of a small number of species. The regional zoogeography and composition of rove beetles in the Belarusi...

The changes in the amounts and composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) following long-term peat restoration are unknown, although this fraction of soil organic matter affects many processes in such ecosystems. We addressed this lack of knowledge by investigating a peatland in south-west Germany that was partly rewetted 20 years ago. A successfully restored site and a moderately drained si...

Peri H. Iz Health Care Financing Administration Office of Strategic Planning Research and Evaluations Group 7500 Security Blvd. Mail Stop C3-19-26 Baltimore, MD 21244-1850, USA [email protected] James Warren School of Computer and Information Science University of South Australia Mawson Lakes SA 5095 AUSTRALIA [email protected] Lisa Sokol Technical Director Veridian 10560 Arrowhead Dr. Fairfax,...

The natural carbon storage function of peatland ecosystems can be severely affected by the abandonment of peat extraction, influencing peatland drainage, leading to large and persistent sources of atmospheric CO2. Moreover, these cutover peatlands have a low and variable water table position and high tension at the surface, creating harsh ecohydrological conditions for vegetation re-establishme...

Fully grown broth cultures of various fast- and slow-growing rhizobia were deliberately diluted with various diluents before their aseptic incorporation into autoclaved peat in polypropylene bags (aseptic method) or mixed with the peat autoclaved in trays (tray method). In a factorial experiment with the aseptic method, autoclaved and irradiated peat samples from five countries were used to pre...