Bog Soils Research Articles

The influence of the bog water level on the transformation of sphagnum mosses in peat soils of oligotrophic bogs

Quantitative estimates of the rate of transformation of moss residues of two species (Sphagnum angustifolium and Sphagnum fuscum) in the peat soils (Histosols) were obtained for two oligotrophic bogs with different hydrological conditions in the southern taiga of Western Siberia. The coefficients of decomposition rate (k) significantly differed for the studied species; the decomposition of Sphagnum fuscum proceeded much slower. The most intense decomposition was observed in the first year of transformation (k = 0.06 and 0.16–0.66 for Sph. fuscum and Sph. angustifolium, respectively); then, the rate of moss decomposition decreased. Despite the great amount of fungal mass in the moss residues (exceeding the bacterial biomass by 3–10 times), the rate of the initial decomposition was very low. The hydrological conditions affected the intensity of this process—in the peat of the Kirsanovskoe bog with the low level of bog water, losses of the mass of sphagnum moss were 1.1–1.6 times greater as compared to those in the Bakcharskoe bog. For Sph. angustifolium, the level of bog water was more important than for Sphagnum fuscum, whereas for Sphagnum fuscum, the composition of organic matter played a decisive role in the rate of decomposition of moss residues. The activity of the microflora also depended on the level of bog water, which was manifested in a greater abundance of bacteria in the peat of the Kirsanovskoe bog.

Rouxiella badensis sp. nov. and Rouxiella silvae sp. nov. isolated from peat bog soil and emendation description of the genus Rouxiella.

Four bacterial strains isolated from peat bog soil or swampy meadow in Baden-Württemberg (Germany) and found to have rrs sequences close to that of Rouxiella chamberiensis were compared to this species by using multi-locus sequence analysis and phenotypic tests. The four strains constituted two discrete groups (referred to as the Baden and the Silva groups) belonging to the genus Rouxiella. These groups differed in their ability to grow at 37 °C, reduce nitrate into nitrite, and to produce acid from several carbohydrates. Two novel species are, therefore, proposed: Rouxiella badensis sp. nov. for the Baden group (type strain, 323T=CIP 111153T=DSM 100043T) and Rouxiella silvae for the Silva group (type strain, 213T=CIP 111154T=DSM 103735T). The definition of the genus Rouxiellahas also been emended in order to take these two novel species into account.

Fossil bog soils (‘dwog horizons’) and their relation to Holocene coastal changes in the Jade Weser region, southern North Sea, Germany

After the deceleration of the postglacial marine transgression, the German North Sea coast was subject to deposition of a complex pattern of subtidal to terrestrial facies. This study aims at reconstructing these facies changes in the ‘Land Wursten’ region (Lower Saxony) by focussing on so-called dwog horizons (incipient soil horizons of the pre-engineered salt marshes). We explore their implications for relative sea-level reconstructions and their indication for early settlement activities. Archive drilling data (1960, provided by the ‘Landesamt fur Bergbau, Energie und Geologie’) were analysed to create five high-resolution stratigraphic cross sections. Three new drilling records were subjected to sedimentological and microfaunal investigations and interpreted to verify and calibrate the archive data. Two dwog horizons were found and 14C-AMS dated. We found basal salt marsh deposits inundated by a high-energy event and covered by tidal flat sediments. The thick tidal flat unit is again overlain by salt marsh deposits indicating the transition from a shallow marine to a terrestrial environment where dwogs were developed and covered by episodic marine incursions. The ages of the dwogs (1128–969 cal BC; cal AD 1426–1467) do not correlate with known layers of adjacent settlement sites and are critically discussed. However, we show that they correlate with phases of stagnant regional relative sea level (RSL) and can be used as RSL indicators. The combined archive and modern data provide valuable information for the RSL reconstruction and palaeoenvironmental changes. However, further research is recommended to accomplish more detailed information about coastal response during the Holocene sea-level changes and implications for settlement dynamics.

Draft Genome Sequence of Chromobacterium subtsugae MWU12-2387 Isolated from a Wild Cranberry Bog in Truro, Massachusetts.

ABSTRACTChromobacterium subtsugae MWU12-2387 was isolated from the rhizosphere of cranberry plants. While it is unknown what environmental role these bacteria play in bog soils, they hold potential as biological control agents against nematodes and insect pests. Potential virulence genes were identified, including the violacein synthesis pathway, siderophores, and several chitinases.

Direct determination of hydrazine, methylhydrazine, and 1,1-dimethylhydrazine by zwitterionic hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with amperometric detection

ABSTRACTA promising alternative to ion-chromatographic methods currently used for the direct determination of hydrazines is provided by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC). In this work, we propose a method for the simultaneous determination of hydrazine, methylhydrazine and 1,1-dimethylhydrazine in natural waters and soils based on a combination of chromatographic separation on a zwitterionic sulfobetaine stationary phase (Nucleodur HILIC) in the HILIC mode with amperometric detection.Effects of different factors on the retention of analytes were studied and the optimum conditions of analysis were found. We recommend a mixture of acetonitrile with an aqueous phosphate buffer solution of pH 2.5 (78:22 v/v) with an ionic strength of 20 mM as a mobile phase. Detection in the direct current mode was performed at a working electrode potential of 1.1 V.The advantages of the method are the high efficiency of separation, rapidity, high sensitivity and a wide dynamic range of analyte concentrations, covering four orders of magnitude. The attained LOD values for analytes lie in the range 0.07–0.13 μg L–1, which is two orders of magnitude lower than those in currently used methods of ion chromatography with electrochemical and mass spectrometric detection.The method was validated on samples of natural waters of different origin using the added–found technique. It was found that the error of analysis did not exceed 10% for river and ground waters and increased to 20–30% for peat bog surface waters.The possibility of application of the developed method to the analysis of soils was shown on samples of peat bog soils selected at places of impact of the first steps of carrier rockets and polluted by rocket fuel based on 1,1-dimethylhydrazine.

Spectrophotometric determination of hydrazine, methylhydrazine, and 1,1-dimethylhydrazine with preliminary derivatization by 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde

5-Nitro-2-furaldehyde, a new derivatizing agent for the spectrophotometric determination of hydrazine, methylhydrazine, and 1,1-dimethylhydrazine is proposed. It is characterized by high solubility in water and by a substantial difference in the positions of absorption bands of the formed colored derivatives. The kinetics of the reaction of analyte derivatization is studied, and reaction conditions (pH 5, concentration of derivatizing agent 2 mM, 60° C, duration 40 min) are optimized. The limits of detection are 5, 3, and 1.5 μg/L for hydrazine, methylhydrazine, and 1,1-dimetlhydrazine, respectively. A possibility of the spectrophotometric determination of analytes in their simultaneous presence using the Firordt method is shown. The developed approach is successfully applied to the analysis of polluted peat bog soil selected at a place of impact of the first step of a carrier rocket.

Assessment of Non-Point Source Total Phosphorus Pollution from Different Land Use and Soil Types in a Mid-High Latitude Region of China

The transport characteristics of phosphorus in soil and the assessment of its environmental risk have become hot topics in the environmental and agricultural fields. The Sanjiang Plain is an important grain production base in China, and it is characterised by serious land use change caused by large-scale agricultural exploitation. Agricultural inputs and tillage management have destroyed the soil nutrient balance formed over long-term conditions. There are few studies on non-point source phosphorus pollution in the Sanjiang Plain, which is the largest swampy low plain in a mid-high-latitude region in China. Most studies have focused on the water quality of rivers in marsh areas, or the export mechanism of phosphorus from specific land uses. They were conducted using experimental methods or empirical models, and need further development towards mechanism models and the macro-scale. The question is how to find a way to couple processes in phosphorus cycling and a distributed hydrological model considering local hydrological features. In this study, we report an attempt to use a distributed phosphorus transport model to analyse non-point source total phosphorus pollution from different land uses and soil types on the Sanjiang Plain. The total phosphorus concentration generally shows an annually increasing trend in the study area. The total phosphorus load intensity is heterogeneous in different land use types and different soil types. The average total phosphorus load intensity of different land use types can be ranked in descending order from paddy field, dry land, wetlands, grassland, and forestland. The average total phosphorus load intensity of different soil types can be ranked in descending order: paddy soil, bog soil, planosol, meadow soil, black soil, and dark brown earth. The dry land and paddy fields account for the majority of total phosphorus load in the study area. This is mainly caused by extensive use of phosphate fertilizer on the cultivated land. This has important implications for future agricultural management and non-point source control in this agricultural area of the mid-high latitude region.

A Thermodynamic Analysis of Soil Ecosystem Development in Northern Wetlands

The Maximum Power Principle (MPP) — a theoretical construct that argues that systems develop to maximize energy throughput, or power — is the subject of few empirical studies. We used the MPP to explore the thermodynamic basis for microbial processes and greenhouse gas fluxes in high latitude peat soils. Increasing temperatures cause extensive areas of permafrost degradation, which can lead to wetland formation, though permafrost degradation and aggradation can be cyclical under the right conditions. Differential ecosystem responses to permafrost degradation offer an opportunity to use the unifying approach of thermodynamics. We used adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production in peat soils as a soil-relevant proxy for power to test the MPP along a chronosequence of wetlands with time following permafrost degradation. We conducted soil incubation experiments and measured production rates of CO2, methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and ATP. ATP production was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the young bog soils compared to the undisturbed permafrost bog soils; rates in the older bog soils were not different from either site. Our results suggest that power output increased following recovery from permafrost thaw. A unifying vantage point provided by thermodynamics may be useful in other investigations of wetland ecosystems with unpredictable responses to disturbance.

Microscopic fungi spread in different types of soils in Western Georgia

200 cultures of microscopic fungi have been isolated from the different types of soils (yellow brown forest, raw carbonate, yellow, red, bog, alluvial, yellow podzolic, mountain meadow and brown forest) of Western Georgia. Mainly, representatives of the following classes Zygomycetes, Ascomycetes and Deuteromycetes are spread in the above-mentioned types of soils. Microscopic fungi from the class of Ascomycetes prevailed in the five types of soils: yellow brown forest, raw carbonate, red, alluvial and yellow-podzolic; and as well in mountain meadow soils. Cultures from the class of Deuteromycetes are spread in two types of soils: yellow and brown forest. As concerns microscopic fungi cultures isolated from the bog soils, no expressed dominant genus was found, only the microscopic fungi from the class of Zygomycetes prevailed in general.

Peat soils of boreal regressive bogs in West Siberia: Problems of biological diagnostics and systematics

In this paper we consider plant (geobotanical) indicators of soils, occurring in regressive bogs in the north taiga subzone of West Siberia. The specificity of regressive bogs is the difference between current vegetation and botanical composition of the peat surface horizon, which complicates their biological diagnostics. The data on peat botanical composition, degree of decomposition and thickness are presented. Destructive oligotrophic peat soils, the allocation of which is provided in the actual Russian soil classification at the level of subtype, occur in palsa bogs under shrub-lichen vegetation. Their indicators include lichens: Cladonia stellaris, C. rangiferina, C. stygia, C. arbuscula, C. mitis, Alectoria ochroleuca, Сetraria islandica, C. laevigata, Flavocetraria cucullata, F. nivalis, Govardia nigricans. A new subtype - peat oligotrophic regressive soils - which occurs in non-freezing bog is suggested. The indicators of this soil subtype in pine-shrub-sphagnum bogs are lichens Cladonia cenotea, C. chlorophaea, C. coniocraea, C. cornuta, C. crispata, C. deformis, C. gracilis, C. fimbriata, C. mitis, C. ochrochlora, C. pleurota, C. polydactyla, C. pyxidata, C. rangiferina, C. stellaris, C. subulata, C. sulphurina and liverwort Mylia anomala . The indicators of regressive soils in bog hollows are mainly liverwort Cladopodiella fluitans , mosses Warnstorfia fluitans , W. exannulata , and lichen Cetrariella delisei .

Peatland types influence the inhibitory effects of a humic substance analog on methane production

Methane (CH4) production is often impeded in many northern peatland soils, even though more thermodynamically favorable inorganic terminal electron acceptors (TEAs) used in anaerobic respiration are often present in low concentrations in these soils. Recent studies suggest that humic substances in wetland soils can be utilized as organic TEAs for anaerobic respiration and may directly inhibit CH4 production. Here we utilize the humic analog anthraquinone-2, 6-disulfonate (AQDS) to explore the importance of humic substances, and their effects on the temperature sensitivity of anaerobic decomposition, in two peatland soils. In a bog peat, AQDS was not initially utilized as a TEA, but greatly inhibited the fermentative production of acetate by >98%, carbon dioxide by >49%, hydrogen by >90%, and CH4 production by 86%. When added together with glucose, <47% of added AQDS was reduced after a lag period of 5 to 10days. In contrast, no inhibitory effect of AQDS on fermentation was found in a fen peat, and AQDS was readily reduced. The addition of glucose and AQDS to both bog and fen peats caused complicated temporal dynamics in the temperature sensitivity of CH4 production, reflecting temporal changes in the temperature responses of other decomposition processes with effects on methanogenesis. Our results show that the inhibitory effects of a humic analog on CH4 production depend on peatland type, acting primarily as a toxic compound in bog soils and as a competitive TEA in fen soils. The results also suggest that the high concentrations of humic substances in northern peatlands may impact the temperature sensitivity of soil carbon cycling in these ecosystems.

Accumulation of metallic elements into the superficial peat layer of mires and wet mineral soils of Estonian forest land / Akumulacja metali w powierzchniowej warstwie gleb torfowych i wilgotnych glebach mineralnych ekosystemów leśnych Estonii

Abstract This article studied the extent of accumulation of aqua regia extractable metallic elements (Al, Mg, Pb, Zn, Hg, Cd) into peaty (histic) epipedon (EP) of fen soils, transitional bog soils, peaty gley soils and peaty podzols. The accumulation coefficients (Kac) of the elements in EP were estimated in relation of forest floor (FF, as an input) as a comparison to deeper levels (SS, as a past background). The study revealed that the extent of accumulation and its order depend on soil (peat) type or pedo-ecological conditions of peatification. In the forming of EP from FF, the concentrations of Al and Pb were increased on an average 2.5-5.0 times, but that of Hg increased significantly only in peaty soils (on an average 1.5-1.6 times). The contents of Zn were significantly decreased (Kac 0.1-0.5) in all soil groups. The comparison of EP peats concentrations with SS data demonstrated a considerable accumulation of Pb, Cd, Zn and Hg into thin (~20 cm) superficial peat layer.

Application of Zn isotopes in environmental impact assessment of Zn–Pb metallurgical industries: A mini review

Zn and Pb smelters are the major contributors to Zn and Pb emissions among all anthropogenic sources, thus, it is essential to understand Zn isotopic variations within the context of metallurgical industries, as well as its fractionation in different environments impacted by smelting activities. This mini review outlines the current state of knowledge on Zn isotopic fractionation during the high-temperature roasting process in Zn and Pb refineries; δ66Zn values variations in air emissions, slags and effluents from the smelters in comparison to the geogenic Zn isotopic signature of ores formation and weathering. In order to assess the environmental impact of these smelters, the available and measured δ66Zn values are compiled for smelter impacted natural water bodies (groundwater, stream and river water), sediments (lake and reservoir) and soils (peat bog soil, inland soil). Finally, the discussion is extended to the fractionation induced during numerous physicochemical reactions and transformations, i.e. adsorption, precipitation as well as both inorganic and organic surface complexation.

Barium in landscape components of the western Transbaikal region

Barium concentrations in parent materials, soils, and plants of the forest-steppe, steppe, and dry steppe landscapes of the Transbaikal region have been studied. The average concentration of this element in rocks and soils of this region exceeds its clarke by 1.8–2.1 times. A positive correlation between the contents of Ba in soils, soil-forming rocks, and plants has been found. The concentration of Ba in soils does not correlate with the soil pH and humus content. Distribution patterns of Ba in the soil profiles have been characterized. With respect to the coefficient of the biological uptake by plants, Ba is assigned to the group of low accumulation (0.55–0.65) for mineral soils and of strong accumulation (6.0) for alluvial bog soils. Average concentrations of Ba in the steppe, meadow, and cultivated vegetation of the region are 1.9–2.3 times higher in comparison with the average concentration of this element in plants of the continents. The biological migration of Ba is most active in meadow landscapes, whereas steppe landscapes are characterized by the least active biological migration of this element.

Draft Genome Sequences of Three Chromobacterium subtsugae Isolates from Wild and Cultivated Cranberry Bogs in Southeastern Massachusetts.

Chromobacterium subtsugae was isolated from cranberry bogs in Massachusetts. While it is unknown what environmental role these bacteria play in bog soils, they hold potential as biological control agents against the larvae of insect pests. Potential virulence genes were identified, including the violacein synthesis pathway, siderophores, and several chitinases.

Fabric and properties of mineral soils underlying a shallow peat mantle in Estonia

The morphology and chemical characteristics of mineral soils underlying modern peaty (histic) and shallow peat soils (or histosols) are analyzed in pedoecological conditions of Estonia. The underlying shallow peat mantle gley soils have been formed on different geological origin (glaciolacustrine, glacial, glaciofluvial, marine) parent materials. The peat mantle overlying gley soils has accumulated in the process of landscape paludification during the post glacial period. Using the Estonian Soil Classification (ESC), the peat layer thickness of peaty soils is 10–30 cm and of shallow peat soils, 30–100 cm. The studied peaty soils may be characterized as polygenetic soils. Depending on parent material properties (calcareousness, acidity, texture) and feeding water the peaty soils are divided into two types specified by ESC as peaty gley soils and peaty podzols, and by WRB as Histic Gleysols and Histic Podzols. The mineral soils underlying peat soils may be defined as paleosols. The development of such soils has proceeded according to the chronosequence: gley soils or protosols → peaty soils → fen soils → transitional bog soils → bog soils, whereas mineral paleosols may be found under fen, transitional bog and bog soils. The peat soils studied in this research work, classified by ESC as drained shallow transitional (mesotrophic) bog soils and by WRB as Drainic Dystric Ombric Hemic Fibric Histosols, are located on the edges of bog areas and are fed mostly by mesotrophic surface seepage water. In comparative analysis of three soil groups (peaty gley soils, peaty podzols and shallow peat soils) (i) their location on the landscape, the geological origin of their parent materials and morphology of the mineral layers are characterized; (ii) the vertical distribution of organic carbon and total nitrogen contents, and different characteristics of soil acidity are analyzed, and (iii) their catenal position or associated soils are characterized. In the case of peaty soils, the three types of mineral soil profiles (eluvial, eluvio-accumulative and accumulative) which underlie the peat cover were elucidated. Under thicker peat layers, i.e. under shallow peat soils, mostly humus accumulative profiles were found. In all analyzed sites, in the course of progressive paludification (among this peatification) the peaty soils have been formed from gley soils. The formation of the peaty soil stage was followed by the fen soil stage. Depending on the feeding water, some of these soils developed in the direction of bog soils, with an intermediary transitional bog stage. Artificial drainage is of great importance in the development of peat cover, which influences first the decomposition of top layer peat.

Spatial patterns, storages and sources of black carbon in soils from the catchment of Qinghai Lake, China

SummaryBlack carbon (BC), composed of char and soot, is an important component of soil organic carbon (SOC), and these materials are potentially important for the global carbon cycle and global climate. A thermal‐optical reflectance method was used to determine the spatial patterns of SOC, BC, char and soot in nine soil types collected from 152 sites in the Qinghai Lake catchment. All of the analytes showed large spatial variability: SOC, BC and char were most abundant in bog soils and least abundant in aeolian soils, while soot concentrations in alpine frost desert and in aeolian soils were about half of those in the other soils. The average BC concentration in the 0–20‐cm soil layers was 1.3 g kg−1, and BC amounted to 5.6% of the SOC. Char, SOC and BC all decreased with soil depth, but soot showed little variation. The proportions of BC to SOC and char to BC showed contrasting trends in four soil profiles; the former increased and the latter decreased with depth. The quantity of SOC sequestered in topsoils of the catchment area was estimated to be 191 Tg; BC accounted for approximately 4.8% of this, and char made up approximately 85% of the total BC stock. The burning of animal dung for domestic cooking apparently was an important source of soil BC: combustion of other biofuels and fossil fuels was the other main source.

Fire-induced transformation of bog soils in the Ust’-Selenginskaya depression

A case study of the drained soils of the Posol’skii bog massif in the Republic of Buryatia showed a fire-induced degradation of peat soils resulting in pyrogenic formations which are distinguished for a peculiar kind of morphological and chemical properties.

Effect of Reclamation on the Vertical Distribution of SOC in Three Types of Wetland Soils

To investigate how reclamation of wetlands in three different soil types impacts the vertical distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC) content in soil profiles, contents and density of soil organic carbon (SOC) in soil profiles of three types of wetland soils in wetland, soybean and paddy field in Sanjiang Plain were determined. Both soybean and paddy field were reclaimed from wetland. We observed that reclamation significantly reduced SOC content in 0-10,10-20 and 20-30 cm soil layers in meadow albic soil and meadow marsh soil, and 0-10,10-20,20-30 and 30-40 cm soil layers in peat bog soil, there were no significant difference in SOC contents in soil layers under 0-30 or 0-40 cm before and after reclamation. After reclamation, SOC density in three types of wetland soils decreased, and SOC density in soybean field were higher than that in paddy field. Either in wetlands or farm lands in the three types of wetland soils, most of the SOC storage in 0-100 cm soil layer was stored in 0-50 cm soil layer. Though wetland reclamation reduced the SOC content, it hasn’t changed the regularity of SOC vertical distribution. The relationships between SOC content and soil depth in wetlands and farm lands all could be described by exponential functions in three types of soils. The specific functions are useful to estimate and predict the regional SOC pool by models.

Effect of fire on phosphorus forms in Sphagnum moss and peat soils of ombrotrophic bogs

The effect of burning Sphagnum moss and peat on phosphorus forms was studied with controlled combustion in the laboratory. Two fire treatments, a light fire (250°C) and a severe fire (600°C), were performed in a muffle furnace with 1-h residence time to simulate the effects of different forest fire conditions. The results showed that fire burning Sphagnum moss and peat soils resulted in losses of organic phosphorus (Po), while inorganic phosphorus (Pi) concentrations increased. Burning significantly changed detailed phosphorus composition and availability, with severe fires destroying over 90% of organic phosphorus and increasing the availability of inorganic P by more than twofold. Our study suggest that, while decomposition processes in ombrotrophic bogs occur very slowly, rapid changes in the form and availability of phosphorus in vegetation and litter may occur as the result of forest fires on peat soils.