Late Holocene climatic history of northern Germany and Denmark: peat macrofossil investigations at Dosenmoor, Schleswig-Holstein, and Svanemose, Jutland

Plant macrofossil remains have been analysed from two raised peat bogs in northern Germany and Denmark. The quantified vegetation reconstructions of each profile were subjected to multivariate analyses to extract records of changing bog surface wetness (BSW), which are interpreted in these rain-fed bogs as being proxy climate signals. Age/depth models were constructed using radiocarbon dates and a number of drier and wetter phases were defined. The records both register cooler/wetter conditions around 2700, 1800 and 1400 cal. yr BP, and at the beginning of the Little Ice Age around AD 1250–1350. These rising bog water tables must have been reflected in poorer conditions for agriculture, and in particular near Dosenmoor where the profile records a catastrophic change to such conditions culminating at 2750–2600 cal. yr BP.     

A replicated 3000 yr proxy-climate record from Coom Rigg Moss and Felecia Moss,the Border Mires,northern England

Quantitative plant macrofossil and colorimetric humification analyses have been used to reconstruct proxy-climate from two paired ombrotrophic bogs in northern England (Coom Rigg Moss and Felecia Moss). Detrended correspondence analysis was used to transform the raw floral data into indices of mire surface wetness. The chronology of each peat profile was determined by radiocarbon assay, supported by pollen correlations. Palaeoclimatic reconstructions have been made by linking documented historical changes in climate, and other proxy-climate records, to those inferred from the sites investigated in the study region. Both sites contain a sensitive palaeoclimatic record, as ten periods of increased effective precipitation have been detected between ca. cal. ad 1770–1800, ad 1400–1470, ad 1110–1260, ad 920–1060, ad 550–670, ad 210–360, 30 bc to ad 80, 180–130 bc, 590–520 bc and 760–710 bc. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Peat/coal type and depositional environment—are they related?

Four bogs in New Zealand were investigated in order to understand the relationship between peat type and depositional environment. This relationship is important because peat type translates into coal type, and coal types can ultimately be used to infer how and under what conditions the original peat bog formed. In our study, no correlation was found between peat type and depositional environment in the four bogs examined. Moreover, no correlation was found between peat type and either tectonic setting or climate. Water table level and degree of fluctuation are the only parameters which seem to have a good causative relationship on peat type.The bogs, Whangamarino, Moanatuatua and Kopouatai in the North Island and Sponge Swamp in the South Island, all have different depositional settings ranging from coastal plain, to fluvial-meandering and fluvial-braided river floodplain. We found no diagnostic peat types that would allow those different environments to be distinguished from studies of the peat. Data from other tropical and temperate climate peat bogs also support our contention that no diagnostic peat types can distinguish particular depositional settings. However, the level and variability of water table does have a correlation, one that is also seen in bogs elsewhere.From our observations, we infer that the validity of using maceral ratios (directly related to coal type) to indicate depositional environment should be questioned. At best, coal type only represents to what degree the original plant components were degraded, but not how they were degraded. To infer other parameters such as depositional environment, tectonic setting or climate, other data (e.g. distribution of surrounding sediment types, palynology, etc.) must be collected and assessed.     

Investigation of failures in Irish raised bogs

This paper presents the results of field geophysical testing and laboratory testing of peat from Carn Park and Roosky raised bogs in the Irish Midlands. The motivation for the work was highlight the importance of these areas and to begin to attempt to understand the reasons for the failure of the bogs despite them having surface slopes of some 1°. It was found that the peat is typical of that of Irish raised bogs being up to 8 m thick towards the “high” dome of the bogs. The peat is characterised by low density, high water content, high organic content, low undrained shear strength and high compressibility. The peat is also relatively permeable at in situ stress. Geophysical electrical resistivity tomography and ground penetrating radar data shows a clear thinning of the peat in the area of the failures corresponding to a reduction in volume from dewatering by edge drains/peat harvesting. This finding is supported by detailed water content measurements. It was also shown that the peat base topography is relatively flat and indicates that the observed surface movement has come from within the peat rather than from the material below the peat. Potential causes of the failures include conventional slope instability, the effect of seepage forces or the release of built-up gas in the peat mass. Further measurements are required in order to study these in more detail.     

Some peculiarities of holocene processes in Western SiberiaZur holozängeschichte der westsibirischen torfmooreQuelques singuliarités des processus holocènes sur le territoire de la Sibérie occidentale

The authors deal with problems of the origin of peat in the territory of the West Siberian Lowland where Holocene processes are sufficiently widespread to be representative of this world-wide phenomenon. Here, for example, are found the most extensive peat bogs of the Earth. The authors deal with the stratigraphy of these peat bogs and the reconstruction of Holocene conditions in the West Siberian Lowland. The development of peat bogs has considerably modified landscape features since the retreat of the last glaciation, i.e., during the last 10,000 to 11,000 years. The peat bogs began to develop simultaneously in thousands of depressions after the ice cover had melted. Later they merged into vast peaty bog regions. Without any intervention by man the peat bogs will cover all of Western Siberia in the course of several thousands of years. The development of extensive peat bogs is due to an irregular advance of floods on Siberian rivers which leads to a rise in the water level on tributaries of great rivers and to a retardation of the discharge of flood waves In the conclusion the authors point to the problems of economic use of swampy regions and to questions of land reclamation that must be answered before economic use of the territory (mainly in connection with extensive oil and gas deposits in these regions) can be fully effective.     

The geochemistry of major and selected trace elements in a forested peat bog, Kalimantan, SE Asia, and its implications for past atmospheric dust deposition

Biogeochemical processes in a forested tropical peat deposit and its record of past atmospheric dust deposition were assessed using the vertical distribution of lithophilic and plant essential elements in a dated core profile from Borneo, SE Asia. Peat formation started ∼22,120 ¹⁴C yr before present (BP), and Ca/Mg mass ratios of the solid peat and very low ash contents indicate a strongly ombrotrophic character throughout the deposit, implying that most of the inorganic fraction has been supplied exclusively by atmospheric inputs. Concentration profiles of Mn, Sr, and Ca suggest a very minor influence of chemical diagenesis in the underlying sediments. Silicon, Ca, Mg, P, S, and K show a strong and extended zone of enrichment in the top 200 cm of the profile, indicating that biological accumulation mechanisms are much more extensive than in temperate peat bogs.In the lower core sections, where the element distribution is dominated solely by past atmospheric deposition, average Al/Ti ratios are similar to the upper continental crust (UCC), whereas Fe is slightly enriched and Si is strongly depleted: this condition favors highly weathered tropical soil dust as the main inorganic mineral source. Significant correlation of Al, Fe, Si, S, Ca, and Ti with the lithophilic elements Y and Zr suggests that the distribution of these elements is controlled by sources of atmospheric mineral dust. The Ca/Mg, Ca/K, and Mg/K ratios of the collected rainwater samples are similar to the global average of continental rainwater and suggest a continental character for the site. This is supported by the similarity of the average concentration of Br, Mg, Ca, and S to that in temperate continental and maritime bogs in Switzerland and Scotland.The concentration profiles of Si, Fe, Al, and Ti show distinct peaks within the profile, implying enhanced dust deposition, reduced rates of peat accumulation, or possibly both owing to climatic changes during the Holocene. Enhanced dust deposition between ∼10,830 and 9060 ¹⁴C yr BP is tentatively interpreted as a Younger Dryas-like event with dust fluxes of ∼10.8 mg/m²/yr. The variations in Al/Ti and Fe/Ti profiles suggest that mineral dust sources have been changing constantly during the Holocene, with local sources being dominant between ∼7820 and 9500 ¹⁴C yr BP and long-range transport (derived most likely from China) being important during the late Pleistocene and early Holocene and from ∼7820 ¹⁴C yr BP to the present.     

A proxy record of late Holocene climate change from May Moss,northeast England

Quantitative reconstruction of changes in mire surface wetness has been used to reconstruct proxy climate from an upland ombrotrophic blanket mire on the North York Moors in northeast England (May Moss). Testate amoebae, plant macrofossil and humification analyses were carried out for six peat profiles. Transfer functions are used to generate estimates of water table levels from the testate amoebae stratigraphy, which complement the semi‐quantitative indications of changing surface wetness provided by plant macrofossil and humification analysis. ¹⁴C dates provide the chronology for the stratigraphy. Differences were encountered between AMS ¹⁴C dates on pure Sphagnum remains and radiometric dates on bulk peat from the same horizon, which perhaps arise from the heterogeneity of peat. Replicate palaeoecological analysis of adjacent cores identifies consistency within testate amoebae and plant macrofossil stratigraphies, and reveals a strong agreement between the water table level proxies. The record of hydrological changes at sites across May Moss are in synchrony, and so climate change is the most likely cause of the moisture fluctuations. Changes to a wetter or cooler climate were identified cal. ad 260–540, ca. ad 550–650, cal. ad 670–980, ca. ad 1350–1450, cal. ad 1400–1620 and ca. ad 1700–1800. Periods with a drier or warmer climate precede all of these wet shifts, with particularly dry periods between cal. ad 650–860 and 690–980 and between cal. ad 1290–1410 and 1400–1620. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

中国典型泥炭区现代植物的碳、氧同位素组成及在古环境研究中的意义

本文测定了中国 3个典型泥炭沼泽四川红原、吉林金川和哈尼的现代沼泽植物中的碳、氧同位素组成。吉林金川和哈尼的沼泽在相似的气候和环境条件下发育演化 ,而四川红原的泥炭发育在截然不同的气候条件下。结果表明 ,每个泥炭沼泽现代植物中的碳、氧同位素均有较大的离散度 ,表现为不同营养状况下的成沼植物之间的同位素差异 ;从δ1 3C值来看 ,三个沼泽中的植物均属C3植物 ;红原与金川、哈尼有着明显不同的现代植物稳定氧同位素组成 ,前者更富集1 8O。同一泥炭植物碳、氧同位素的不均一性要求在利用泥炭沉积物恢复过去气候变化方面一定要谨慎。非常有意义的是贫营养泥炭 (高位泥炭 )的成沼植物有着非常接近的同位素组成 ,揭示贫营养型泥炭可能是更为理想的过去全球变化信息档案     

华北地区晚石炭世岩相古地理特征及聚煤规律研究

通过分析华北地区晚石炭世的沉积环境及煤层分布特点,探讨了该区晚石炭世沉积相的典型类型,综合分析得出华北克拉通板块晚石炭世主要为陆表海环境,期间发生多次海侵海退事件,在郯庐断裂以东地区,主要发育有台地沉积体系、障壁一渴湖沉积体系及潮坪沉积体系;在盆地的北西缘地区发育潮坪泥炭沼泽,形成了海侵事件沉积,海退时期,中北部地区有利于发育潮坪泥炭沼泽和岛后泥炭沼泽,成为煤层的聚煤中心。     

Occurrence and morphology of pyrite in Bulgarian coals

Coals with different degrees of coalification (ranging from lignite to anthracite) from seven Bulgarian coal basins have been investigated. The forms of pyrite and their distribution have been established. The types found are: massive pyrite, represented by the homogeneous, cluster-like and microconcretionary varieties; framboidal pyrite, appearing in inorganic and bacterial forms; euhedral pyrite, which is either isolated or clustered; anhedral pyrite, in its infilling and replacement varieties; and infiltrational pyrite, as a replacement or infilling mineral.Most of the forms of the euhedral, framboidal and massive pyrite developed during peat deposition. The anhedral replacement pyrite formed in the peat bed during early diagenesis. Infiltrational pyrite filled fractures and cleats formed during the diagenesis, catagenesis and metagenesis.Both similarities and differences with respect to the distribution of the pyrite types have been determined between coals of different ranks from Bulgarian coal basins. These differences are due to: the presence of Fe and S in the rocks adjacent to ancient peat bogs; the activities of ground and surface waters which brought Fe and S into the peat bogs; the geochemical character (pH and Eh) of the peat bogs and the sulphur bacteria development; and the tectonic situation during diagenesis, catagenesis and metagenesis.     

Formation of Lower and Middle Jurassic Coaliferous Sequences in the Northern Caucasus

Pliensbachian coaliferous sequences were formed along the southern margin of the Stavropol Uplift in various paleogeographic environments. Therefore, peat bogs are developed in various landscape zones. In the southern Kuban coaliferous district, which adjoins the tectonically active central Caucasus, coaliferous sediments were formed in river valleys, whereas peat bogs were developed in swamped valleys. In the northern Kuban and Baksan coaliferous districts situated away from this region, coaliferous sediments were formed under conditions of alluvial–deltaic and alluvial–lacustrine plains. Peat bogs were localized in the swamped alluvial–deltaic and alluvial–lacustrine plains. In the Laba–Urup and southeastern Baksan coaliferous districts situated far away from the tectonically active central Caucasus and dominated by partly isolated bays and lagoons (or coastal plains), peat bogs were formed in the swamped (partly isolated) bays and lagoons (or coastal plains). Similar environments of sedimentation and peat deposition were typical of the Daghestan coaliferous district in the early Aalenian and Bathonian of Middle Jurassic.     

Cupriferous bogs of the Coed y Brenin area,north Wales and their significance in mineral exploration

A number of bog areas with richly cupriferous peats have been outlined during a geochemical soil survey investigating the distribution of Cu, Mo, Pb and Zn in the vicinity of the Coed y Brenin porphyry copper deposit. During the first half of the last century considerable amounts of peat were extracted from the bog known as “Turf Copper” and ash derived from burning this peat was smelted as a source of Cu. “Turf Copper” bog is situated immediately to the west of the main outcrop of porphyry-style mineralization in this area. In addition, three small Cu bogs were delineated in the area of Bryn Coch to the south of the main mineralized zone, where disseminated Cu mineralization outcrops.Waters draining into the bog areas are enriched in Cu up to 0.97 mg/l. Analysis of profile samples from the bogs has indicated extreme enrichment in Cu and variable enrichments in Mo, Pb, Zn, Mn, Co, Ag and Au. Mineralized intrusive rocks in this area are significantly enriched in Cu and Au. The enrichment of Cu, up to 5.72%, and Au, up to 0.13 ppm in ashed peat samples, reflects the mobilization of these elements from adjacent mineralization by ground and surface waters and their fixation by interaction with organic matter accumulated in the bogs.The recognition of cupriferous bogs and the sampling and analysis of peats, including analysis for Au, may provide useful indicators of Cu and Au mineralization, especially in glaciated areas where mineralization may be masked by transported overburden and geochemical anomalies displaced by hydromorphic agencies.     

Sequence stratigraphic interpretation of a Pennsylvanian (Upper Carboniferous) coal from the central Appalachian Basin,USA

Peat mires retain a sensitive record of water‐table (base‐level) fluctuations throughout their accumulation. On this basis, coals provide one of the best opportunities to interpret high‐resolution base‐level change in ancient non‐marine deposits. The petrographic composition of 275 samples collected from 11 localities along a 100 km south‐west to north‐east transect across the regionally extensive (>37 000 km²) Pennsylvanian (Upper Carboniferous) Fire Clay coal of the Central Appalachian Basin, USA was analysed to determine its internal stratigraphy. The coal is positioned within the late lowstand/early transgressive systems tract of a fourth‐order depositional sequence. The results of the petrographic analyses reveal a cyclicity in the composition of the Fire Clay coal, which defines six units that are correlated over more than 100 km. Each coal cycle is characterized by a gradual upward transition from vitrinite‐dominated to inertinite‐dominated coal, which represents a ‘drying‐up’ succession. Increased concentrations of resistant peat components at the top of the drying‐up successions indicate reduced peat accumulation rates associated with slowing rate of water‐table rise, and may represent a residue of peat remaining from a phase of exposure and erosion resulting from a falling water table. These drying‐up successions are bound by surfaces that display an abrupt coal facies shift from inertinite‐rich to vitrinite‐rich coal, representing a rapid water‐table rise. Each cycle represents markedly different mire conditions with different aerial distributions, which supports the notion of temporal disconnection between each unit of coal, and suggests that considerable time may be ‘locked‐up’ in unit bounding exposure surfaces. Recognition that the rate of peat accumulation in a mire may vary considerably through time, has important implications for studies which assume that peat and coal successions provide continuous and time‐invariant records of base‐level fluctuations or palaeoecological change.     

The occurrence of Laacher See Tephra in Pomerania, NW Poland

A millimetre-thick bed of highly vesiculated pumiceous clasts was found in two peat bogs in Pomerania (NW Poland). Their phonolitic composition confirms the correlation with the Laacher See Tephra (LST). Based on the various CaO-Na₂O-K₂O content, most of these clasts can be linked with the Lower Laacher See Tephra (LLST), and some with the Middle Laacher See Tephra B (MLST-B). ¹⁴C dates obtained on peat samples are in agreement with an Allered stratigraphic position of that tephra. In several localities in NW Poland, it was found that there was no occurrence of tephra in peat bogs. Thus the presence of the LST is restricted to the northwestern fringes of Pomerania.     

泥炭沼泽的演化及其机制

泥炭沼泽的演化普遍存在,演化的实质是在成因因素有利的配合下,沼泽植物群落发生了变化乃至更替。根据泥炭植物残体分析和煤层的煤岩、煤化学研究,可以了解泥炭沼泽的演化和形成煤层的原始泥炭沼泽的演化。      

Strong correlation between summer temperature and pollen accumulation rates for Pinus sylvestris,Picea abies and Betula spp. in a high‐resolution record from northern Sweden

Highly resolved pollen spectra analysed from a 47 cm peat monolith recovered from a mire in northern Sweden exhibit climatic sensitivity in the pollen accumulation rates (PAR) of boreal treeline species. Robust temporal control, afforded through multiple AMS radiocarbon dating of the post‐atomic‐bomb‐test period (AD 1961–2002), provides a unique opportunity to compare pollen accumulation rates with the instrumental meteorological record. Strong correlations are observed between summer temperature and PAR for Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies and Betula spp. (excluding B. nana). Despite well constrained, contiguous (‘annual’) sampling, the temporal resolution of the pollen signal preserved within each sample appears to be degraded to ca. 3–5 year resolution. This is likely to reflect processes occurring during peat accumulation and pollen deposition, as well as dating uncertainties and the effects of subsampling. These findings identify limitations to the maximum resolution that may realistically be recovered from the peat archive using high‐resolution sampling protocols and AMS ¹⁴C dating. We also identify the need for additional work to quantify the role of climate on peat accumulation and the resultant impact on assemblage‐based palaeoenvironmental reconstructions within mire sequences. The strongest climate association observed for Picea abies (r = 0.53; n = 36) was extended through the monolith beyond the 42 year period of ‘annual’ sampling and the response successfully correlated with the Bottenviken historical instrumental record to AD 1860. Although only presenting data from a single site, and requiring wider replication, we conclude that for sites close to the ecological limits of tree species, where levels of anthropogenic/non‐climatic forcing on pollen production are low, well‐dated records of PAR may potentially provide a proxy for reconstructing past summer temperature variability. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Applications of Remote-Sensing Techniques in Peat Resource Investigations in Zoig■

The paper presents an example of the application of remote-sensing techniques in peat resource investiga-tions. The study was carried out in the Zoige region. The optimal imagery time (during October) and theoptimal band (MSS_7) of Landsat data were selected. The preferred images were processed optically and bycomputer and interpreted in a comprehensive way. And in-situ spectrum measurements and drilling verificationwere carried out.The identification signature of the peat bogs in Zoige was defined. The feature of the identifi-cation signature for peat was that the peat bog area showed a dark tone with lower reflectance in images of thefour MSS bands. The distribution range of peat bogs in the region was exactly located. The types of peat bogswere distinguished. The total peat area of 4038 km~(2) was defined with a total reserve of 5 billion m~3. The resultof the study indicates that the large-area, small-scale investigation of peat resources by use of satelliteremote-sensing data is an advanced method. by which the work efficiency can increase by about 20 times.     

Holocene peat and carbon accumulation rates in the southern taiga of western Siberia

Although recent studies have recognized peatlands as a sink for atmospheric CO₂, little is known about the role of Siberian peatlands in the global carbon cycle. We have estimated the Holocene peat and carbon accumulation rate in the peatlands of the southern taiga and subtaiga zones of western Siberia. We explain the accumulation rates by calculating the average peat accumulation rate and the long-term apparent rate of carbon accumulation (LORCA) and by using the model of Clymo (1984, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B 303, 605-654). At three key areas in the southern taiga and subtaiga zones we studied eight sites, at which the dry bulk density, ash content, and carbon content were measured every 10 cm. Age was established by radiocarbon dating. The average peat accumulation rate at the eight sites varied from 0.35 ± 0.03 to 1.13 ± 0.02 mm yr⁻¹ and the LORCA values of bogs and fens varied from 19.0 ± 1.1 to 69.0 ± 4.4 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹. The accumulation rates had different trends especially during the early Holocene, caused by variations in vegetation succession resulting in differences in peat and carbon accumulation rates. The indirect effects of climate change through local hydrology appeared to be more important than direct influences of changes in precipitation and temperature. River valley fens were more drained during wetter periods as a result of deeper river incision, while bogs became wetter. From our dry bulk density results and our age-depth profiles we conclude that compaction is negligible and decay was not a relevant factor for undrained peatlands. These results contribute to our understanding of the influence of peatlands on the global carbon cycle and their potential impact on global change.     

Three short essays from the soviet literature

Translations of three short essays from the Soviet literature are presented. All deal with aspects of electrogeochemistry as it applies to exploration for concealed ore. The first by V.P. Borovitskii describes field and laboratory measurements of electrical potentials induced by freeze-thaw cycles in solutions and in argillaceous rock. Some discussion of the relevance of this work to exploration geochemistry is given. The second essay, also by Borovitskii, describes advances in geochemical sampling technology in terrain covered by peat bogs and swamps. The influences on elemental dispersion of vegetative growth in peat bogs are described along with details of experiments conducted when electrical potentials were measured in tree trunks. The third essay, by S.L. Shvartsev, discusses electrochemical interactions which occur between coexisting sulphides and with moisture within orebodies. The relevance of these processes to elemental dispersion is discussed.     

The influence of vegetation composition on peat humification: implications for palaeoclimatic studies

Peat humification analysis is a widely used palaeoclimate proxy. However, recent studies combining humification with other proxies of mire surface wetness have identified inconsistencies between the records. We illustrate this inconsistency by comparing humification records with plant macrofossil profiles in three ombrotrophic bogs. Peat humification is a measure for organic decay and reflects changing palaeohydrological conditions and former vegetation composition. The resulting signal is considered to be a derived response to climate. However, even minor changes in the botanical composition of the peat may have a significant influence on humification measurements. The implications of this for palaeoclimate studies are discussed. The assumption that climate has been the major influence on variations in humification rests on the botanical composition being relatively homogeneous throughout the peat profile, and is therefore questionable. Consideration should be given to developing species-specific measures of humification and to testing the assumption that the major influence on peat humification is the surface wetness of the bog (and therefore climate).