Untersuchungen zur Entwicklung des Schwarzen Moores in der Rhön: Verlauf und Ursachen der Vermoorung

Abstract

Pollen analytical techniques were used to study the initiation of bog formation and the subsequent, horizontal development of the Schwarze Moor, an ombro-soligenic peat-bog in the Rhön mountains. Peat formation began in the Older Dryas (pollen zone I, according to Firbras 1949) on both sides of the presentday rivulet “Eisgraben”. From there the bog grew up the slope along a shallow depression. Horizontal development was largely related with topography. Maximum expansion occurred in Late Atlantic and Sub-Boreal times. Careful dating of Sub-Boreal deposits resulted in a more detailed picture of bog growth. Peat bog growth is apparently not related to climatic factors. The results do not correspond with the wet phases found by Willutzki (1962) in the Harz mountains or with periods of more intensive peat-bog growth reported by Radke (1973) for the Black Forests (Schwarzwald). In contrast to the peat-bogs of the Harz mountains which completed their horizontal growth mainly by the end of the Sub-Boreal period (Beug 1982, Henrion 1982), the horizontal development of the Schwarze Moor was terminated at the end of the Late Atlantic period. The horizontal growth of the Schwarze Moor Predominantly depends on local factors such as hydrology and topography of the mineral substrate. These results are in line with the interpretation of Beug (1982) obtained for the Harz mountains.