Markers of Soil Organic Matter Transformation in Permafrost Peat Mounds of Northeastern Europe

Abstract

For the paleoreconstruction of permafrost peat mounds and the identification of plant communities participating in the formation of peat, the contents of n-alkanes (C20–C33) have been determined, and relative changes in the stable isotope compositions of carbon and nitrogen and the C/N ratio have been analysed. Several indices (CPIalkanes, Paq, Pwax) have been calculated to assess the degree of decomposition of the peats studied and the contributions of different plant species to their formation. It has been found that shortand long-chain n-alkanes are concentrated in high-moor peat, while medium-chain alkanes are typical for transitional peat. Integrated analysis of the studied markers has shown that the botanical and material composition of peat, anaerobic conditions of bog formation, and permafrost play an important role in the preservation of organic carbon in permafrost peat mounds. Alternation of plant associations is the main reason for changes in n-alkane concentrations, C/N ratios, and δ13C values.