Small Bog Research Articles

Sociokulturel betydning af tragtbægerkulturens tidligneolitiske flintøkser

Sociokulturel betydning af tragtbægerkulturens tidligneolitiske flintøkser

Reimaging the value of degraded ecosystems: From trash to treasure

Land developers often see degraded ecosystems such as patchwork forests and roadside wetlands as prime locations for conversion projects (i.e., roads, housing, or solar farms). Although these resources convey a negative image, “worthless” lands supply basic goods and services for impoverished people during times of hardship. This study reimaged degraded ecosystems with respect to their social value using onsite observations and economic models at several locations in northeast Thailand. Food provisioning was the key ecosystem service. For example, small bogs and remnant trees along roadsides are valuable sources of fish, fruits, and vegetables. Dry Dipterocarp forests and wetlands contribute to subsistence living for rural villagers and those near suburban areas, accounting for 5–46% of annual household income. One tree can provide a measurable source of revenue. Individuals could earn up to 100 Thai Baht (∼US $3 per day; about 1/3 of the national daily wage) for harvesting ant eggs or about 300 Thai Baht per day for gathering mushrooms, vegetables, and other non-timber forest products. Re-thinking the value of degraded ecosystems does not require lofty goals for restoring these resources. Initial steps could include agroforestry practices and planting native food trees: wood-based solutions, to gain community support.

Drainage consequences and self-restoration of drained raised bogs in the south-eastern part of Western Siberia: Peat accumulation and vegetation dynamics

This study analysed the drainage influence on vegetation and peat deposit and assessed the self-restoration of ecological functions of Western Siberia bogs. As a case study, we selected four raised bogs – two are the east-northern spurs of the Great Vasyugan Mire and two are small, raised bogs on the terrace of the Bakchar River and the Ob River. The consequences of drainage and the ability to self-restore are influenced by the moisture conditions before drainage, bog size, distance between ditches and microtopography characteristics. The dominant species under wet conditions, such as Sphagnum magellanicum and Sphagnum balticum, changed with drainage to Sphagnum fuscum, and the peat accumulation rate increased. The sites with more dry conditions and dominated by Sphagnum fuscum were characterised by the intense degradation of Sphagnum, Bryidae and lichen growth and a low peat accumulation rate. Large raised bogs are relatively stable and capable of self-restoration. The drainage effect was more significant within some parts of the small bogs. Drainage consequences were less dramatic for large bogs, even in the marginal parts and near the ditches. A distance between ditches of 40 m and less is critical for self-restoration. Our study demonstrates that modern peat accumulation occurred in most parts of the plots; the mean peat accumulation rate over the last 35 years was 0.43 cm per year. Drainage influence in the south-eastern part of Western Siberia is less significant than in European bogs, not only because of the high stability of raised bogs but also because of the lower drainage intensity as well as the absence of forest planting, fertilisation and peat mining.

New Record of Terminal Pleistocene Elk/Wapiti (Cervus canadensis) from Ohio, USA

The earliest appearance of elk/wapiti (Cervus canadensis) in eastern North America is not thoroughly documented due to the small number of directly dated remains. Until recently, no absolute dates on elk bone older than 10,000 14C yr BP (11,621 to 11,306 calibrated years (cal yr) BP) were known from this region. The partial skeleton of the Tope Elk was discovered in 2017 during commercial excavation of peat deposits from a small bog in southeastern Medina County, Ohio, United States. Subsequent examination of the remains revealed the individual to be a robust male approximately 8.5 years old at death. The large size of this individual is compared with late Holocene specimens and suggests diminution of elk since the late Pleistocene. Two accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon assays on bone collagen samples taken from the scapula and metacarpal of this individual returned ages of 10,270 ± 30 14C yr BP (Beta-477478) (12,154 to 11,835 cal yr BP) and 10,260 ± 30 14C yr BP (Beta-521748) (12,144 to 11,830 cal yr BP), respectively. These results place Cervus canadensis in the terminal Pleistocene of the eastern woodlands and near the establishment of the mixed deciduous forest biome over much of the region. This early temporal placement also situates this early elk as closely following the last representatives of now-extinct megafauna such as the American mastodon (Mammut americanum) and contemporary with the Late Paleoindian inhabitants of the region.

Evaluating fossil charcoal representation in small peat bogs: Detailed Holocene fire records from southern Sweden

In this study, we assess how representative a single charcoal record from a peat profile in small bogs (1.5–2 ha in area) is for the reconstruction of Holocene fire history. We use high-resolution macrocharcoal (>250 μm) analysis of continuous series of 2 cm3 samples from two small bogs in southern Sweden. We compare (1) duplicate charcoal records from the same core, (2) duplicate charcoal records from profiles in the same site (10 m apart), and (3) charcoal records from two sites within the same region (15 km apart). Comparisons are made for charcoal counts and area expressed as accumulation rates. The results suggest that (a) charcoal counts and area are highly correlated in all records; (b) duplicate charcoal records within the same core are very similar, although some charcoal peaks are found in only one of the two records; (c) although long-term trends in fire regimes are similar between duplicate charcoal records from nearby profiles within the same site and between charcoal records from sites within the same region, some individual charcoal peaks/fire events are asynchronous between records. The known historical fires of the town of Växjö (1570 and 1612 CE) are recorded at the two study sites, which indicates a macrocharcoal source area of minimum 15 km in diameter. The 2 cm3 peat samples contained relatively low amounts of macrocharcoal; we therefore recommend to analyse larger samples from small peat bogs with comparable peat accumulation rates. This will improve the reliability of the macrocharcoal record and its interpretation.

Spatial and temporal variations in mire surface water chemistry as a function of geology, atmospheric circulation and zonal features in the south-eastern part of Western Siberia

This study analysed the chemistry of water samples collected from mires in the south-eastern part of Western Siberia. The aim was to determine spatial and temporal patterns in the hydrochemistry of mires in relation to the environmental conditions and geological history of the region. The results show that concentrations of Fetotal, Са2+, Mg2+, Na+, and HCO3– ions are higher than those obtained in other regions of Russia and Europe, which is consistent with the geological conditions of Western Siberia. High Fetotal concentrations are associated with the distribution of sedimentary ore in the region's largest iron ore basin, the Bakchar deposit, which is represented by strata of various Cretaceous sedimentsary rock at depths of 150–200 m. The Fe-rich rocks contribute to the high Fe concentrations in deep groundwater that feeds into the fens. The increase in Са2+, Mg2+, Na+, Cl−, and HCO3– in the water resulted from a xerothermic period that occurred in the southern part of Western Siberia (4500–2500 years ago) that increased the carbonation and salinity of the rocks. A feature characteristic of the hydrochemical regime in raised bogs is the transformation of the chemical composition during the year, with a change in dominant anions from HCO3– to Cl− or SO42−. The water in transitional mires and rich fens were characterised by the predominance of HCO3– and Са2+. Studies have shown that the size and stage of development play leading roles in the formation of the water chemistry in the mires. Small bogs and transitional mires were characterised by a rich mineral nutrition; while, the chemical composition of fens was mainly determined by their geomorphologic position and proximity to large river systems. The results of this study provide a better understanding of the functions of peatland ecosystems in Western Siberia and improve water sampling strategies for future research.

From natural to cultural mires during the last 15 ka years: An integrated approach comparing 14C ages on basal peat layers with geomorphological, palaeoecological and archaeological data (Eastern Massif Central, France)

This paper studies mire initiation modalities from the Late-Glacial to the Holocene by comparing radiocarbon ages on basal peat layers (112 sites from the Eastern French Massif Central – EFMC) with long-term land cover changes. We developed a semi-quantitative method based on the degree of openness and on Anthropogenic Impact Factors (AIF scores) from palaeoecological data (mire and lake records). Archaeological information was also considered to evaluate human impact. We compared regional mire development trends with datasets from Northern Europe, Siberia, Alaska and Canada, and with global CH4 emission. Heterogenous cases of mire initiation were highlighted during the last 15 ka years in the EMFC. From 15 to 11.7 ka cal. BP, some mires and histic horizons occurred, although further research is needed to better understand these peat accumulation phases. Related to the Early Holocene warming, a mire generation established by terrestrialization, in the southern EFMC where geomorphology favoured fens. Bogs also formed by paludification in the whole area between 10 and 7 ka cal. BP. Then, various cases of mire initiation were found from 4.4 to 2.4 ka cal. BP. The high number of mires established since 2.4 ka cal. BP could be related to major anthropogenic changes, indirectly favouring fens (in former ponds for instance) or small bogs (at the back of roads, walls or in abandoned drainage systems). This last generation was typical of Western European mountains and implied that moderate human impact may also produce socio-ecosystems with high ecological value.

Dragonflies (Odonata) of Botanical Garden‘s Pond of SUA in Nitra

Article Details: Received: 2019-09-09 | Accepted: 2019-11-12 | Available online: 2019-12-31 https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2019.22.04.110-113 The faunistic research of dragonflies was realized during 2016 and 2017. The research was carried out under the conditions of Botanical garden‘s pond of Slovak University of Agriculture (SUA) in Nitra. 229 dragonfly individuals (105♂, 124♀) were trapped during the monitored period. Trapped individuals represented 10 species and 3 families of dragonflies. The aim of the research was to determine the species composition of dragonflies of the selected locality. Based on the representation of individual species for the monitored locality, its dominance was also calculated. Keywords: dragonflies, Odonata, bioindicator, habitat, pond, dominance, climate change References ASKEW, R. R. (1988) The dragonflies of Europe. Colchester: Harley Books. 291 p. BERACKO, P. et al. (2017) Bentic invertebrates and its habitats. Bratislava: Faculty of Natural Sciences of Commenius university, 291 p. (in Slovak). BUTLER, R. G. and DE MAYNADIER, P. G. (2008) The significance of littoral and shoreline habitat integrity to the conservation of lacustrine damselflies (Odonata). In Journal of Insect Conservation, vol. 12, pp. 23–36. CORBET, P. S. (1999) Dragonflies: behavior and ecology of Odonata. New York: Cornell University Press, 829 p. DALECKÝ, V. (2011) Influence of landscape structure on bionomics of forest species of reophilic dragonflies. Bachelor thesis. Brno: Mendel University. 63 p. (in Czech). DAVID, S. (2013) Annotated Checklist of dragonflies (Odonata), Slovakia. In BRYJA, J. (eds.): Zoological days. Brno 2013: Abstracts from the conference. Brno: Mendel University, pp. 1–52. DAVID, S. and ABELOVA, M. (2015) Dragonflies (Odonata) of the Protected Area Mlyňany Arboretum. In Folia faunistica Slovaca, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 135–139. DIJKSTRA, K. D. B. and LEWINGTON, R. (2006) Field guide to the dragonflies of Britain and Europe including western Turkey and north-western Africa. London: British Wildlife Publishing, 320 p. FASKO, P. and SŤASTNÝ, P. (2002) Average annual rainfall. In Zaťko, M. (eds.) Initial landscape structure. Atlas of the Slovak Republic. Banska Bystrica: Ministry of the Environment of Slovak Republic, Slovak Agency of Environment, 344 p. (in Slovak). FOOTE, A. L. and HORNUNG, C. L. R. (2005) Odonates as biological indicators of grazing effects on Canadian prairie wetlands. In Ecological Entomology, vol. 30, pp. 273–283. HANEL, L. and ZELENÝ, J. (2000) Dragonflies (Odonata): research and protection. Vlasim: Czech Union for Nature Conservation, 240 p. (in Czech). HARABIS, F. and DOLNÝ, A. (2010) Ecological factors determining the density-distribution of Central European dragonflies (Odonata). In European Journal of Entomology, vol. 107, pp. 571–577. HEIDEMANN, H. and SEIDENBUSCH, R. 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(1990) Indicators of monitoring biodiversity: A hierarchical approach. In Conservation Biology, vol. 4, pp. 355–364. OLBERG, R.M. et al. (2000) Prey Pursuit and Inception in Dragonflies. In Journal of Comparitive Physiology A: Sensory Neural and Behavioral physiology, vol. 186, pp. 155–162. SAHLEN, G. and EKESTUBBE, K. (2001) Identification of dragonflies (Odonata) as indicators of general species richness in boreal forest lakes. In Biodiversity and Conservation, vol. 10, pp. 673–690. SACHA, D. et al. (2007) Dragonflies of Slovak Republic. [Online]. Retrieved 2019-03-20 from http://www.vazky.sk, 10/2008 (in Slovak). SACHA, D. et al. (2008) The key to identifying our species of dragonflies. [Online]. Retrieved 2019-05-12 from http://www. vazky.sk (in Slovak). SACHA, D. 2010. Dragonflies (Odonata) detected during „Monitoring of species of European importance“ in southern Slovakia. In Folia faunistica Slovaca, vol. 15, no. 6, pp. 43–46 (in Slovak). SIMAIKA, P. and SAMWAYS, M. J. (2008) Valuing dragonflies as service providers. In Cordoba-Aguilar A. (eds.): Dragonflies: Model Organisms for Ecological and Evolutionary Research. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 23–55. TISCHLER, W. (1949) Basic features of terrestrial animal ecology. Wiesbaden: Springer trade media, 220 p. (in German). WASSCHER, M. T. and BOS, F. G. (2000) The European dragonflies: notes on the checklist and on species diversity. In Odonatologica, vol. 29, pp. 31–43. WILDERMUTH, H. (2001) The rotation model for the care of small bog waters. In Conservation and Landscape Planning, vol. 33, pp. 269–273 (in German).

From bog to fen: palaeoecological reconstruction of the development of a calcareous spring fen on Saaremaa, Estonia

This study of the Kanna calcareous spring fen on Saaremaa, the largest island of Estonia, elucidates its history of fen development and vegetation diversity over the last 9,200 years. Pollen, spores, non-pollen palynomorphs, macrofossils, loss-on-ignition and humification index analyses were carried out to reconstruct fen succession, vegetation development, environmental changes and human impact. Hierarchical clustering, ordination analysis and linear regression were applied to examine the vegetation composition and richness patterns through time and to identify the potential environmental drivers underlying these patterns. Our results suggest reverse mire development from bog to fen, a rare occurrence and contrary to typical mire autogenic succession from groundwater fed to rainwater fed. Kanna developed as a small bog for the first 2,000 years from 9,200 to 7,200 cal yrs bp. Changes to the hydrological regime around 7,200 cal yrs bp, due to a warmer and drier climate and land uplift, caused a change from an ombrotrophic to a minerotrophic environment. Typical spring fen characteristics developed ca. 5,000 cal yrs bp and continued until ca. 400 cal yrs bp, when the fen was fed by calcareous mineral-rich groundwater and reached very high floristic diversity with various calciphilous and relict plant taxa. We conclude that general changes in the Kanna fen succession, vegetation community and diversity are associated with climatic changes. The present high diversity of the fen is a result of a long-term stable fen environment, which may have been even higher in the past. However, the pollen richness has decreased during the last 400 years, possibly due to human or natural factors.

Mallomonas papuensis sp. nov. (Chrysophyceae, Synurales), a new species from the high mountain bog pool in Papua province, Indonesia

This paper describes the new species Mallomonas papuensis from a small bog pool in Papua province, Indonesia. The description is based on silica-scale morphology studied by means of transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The cells of Mallomonas papuensis are covered by three types of scales: asymmetric collar scales with forward projecting spines, rhombic body scales and oval posterior scales with short spines. The shield of all scales types lacks ornamentation. We were not able to find any specimens with bristles or isolated bristles although the small dome is visible on the collar scales. Mallomonas papuensis belongs to the section Torquatae and closely resembles M. newfoundlandicus. Distinctions from other similar taxa are discussed.

Rensdyrjægere på farten – Opholdssteder fra senistid i Østjylland

Rensdyrjægere på farten – Opholdssteder fra senistid i Østjylland

Ecological, topographic and successional patterns across wetlands in a rugged land uplift coast in Nyby, northern Finland

We studied 45 mid-boreal wetlands in a rugged land uplift coast with a thin cover of till. Wetlands ranged from 1 to 53 m a.s.l. and were of highly various sizes. Our aims were to examine, if vegetation types are valid in comparing wetlands, what kind of ecological major pattern the vegetation type composition of wetlands shows and how vegetation types distribute across altitudes. On those ground we discuss the wetland succession of the study area. We used the Finnish mire site types as vegetation types. Mire site types could be used for an ecological classification and ordination of the wetlands. As was expected, the major gradient consisted of the transition from mire margin (swamp) to expanse. The distribution of the Major Vegetational Wetland Groups (MVWG) responded to a general water-flow pattern in the landscape. Partly different peatland succession sequences occur in areas with small mire basins and in areas with larger mire basins with evolving mire complexes. Sequences of small wetlands and those of mire complexes follow the same trajectory only as far as the major gradient is considered while they differ with regard to the vegetation type composition of locally rare vegetation types and with regard to peatland morphology. Trajectories of mire complexes at catchment divides differ from those at catchment centers where the waters in the landscape tend to gather. Peatland forms of aapa mires experience a change reaching altitudes of 30–50 m a.s.l. Small bog complexes at catchment divides reach a stage of an unpatterned Sphagnum fuscum bog in the study area. Mature mixed complexes with aapa-mire parts and patterned sloping-bog parts only occur at altitudes higher than 60 m a.s.l. Peculiarities in the succession of the wetlands of Nyby, which include the presence of separate incomplete successional sequences in the same area, are mainly caused by the peculiar topography with various sub-areas and with an abundance of rock outcrops.

Exploring the Socio-Ecological Characteristics of Gahkuch Marshland: A Unique Wetlands Ecosystem in Hindukush Mountain Ranges

Gahkuch marshland spreading over 133.54 hectare amidst Hindukush mountain ranges in northern Pakistan is characterized by typical wetlands ecosystem, comprising of small lakes, streams, peat lands, bogs, marshy areas and riverain forests. The area abodes largest resident population of waterfowl in Gilgit- Baltistan, in addition to providing wintering and staging ground for a large number of migratory birds and other aquatic life. A detailed socio ecological study conducted during August to September, 2011 revealed that the area is rich in biodiversity, harboring eight large and three small mammal species, 35 species of birds, seven species of fish, eight species of trees and 18 species of medicinal and economic plants and seventeen families of benthic-macro invertebrates. Moreover, six physical, nineteen chemical and three biological parameters of water bodies were also determined. In addition to its ecological significance the area also supports livelihoods of about 10000 people by providing timber, fuel wood, grazing ground and fish resources. Anthropogenic pressures includes solid waste, influent and illegal hunting were key threats to wetlands and its resources. Wetlands management planning in collaboration with key stakeholders would be effective approach to protect important biodiversity and wetlands resources of the area.

Historical land-use and landscape change in southern Sweden and implications for present and future biodiversity.

The two major aims of this study are (1) To test the performance of the Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm (LRA) to quantify past landscape changes using historical maps and related written sources, and (2) to use the LRA and map reconstructions for a better understanding of the origin of landscape diversity and the recent loss of species diversity. Southern Sweden, hemiboreal vegetation zone. The LRA was applied on pollen records from three small bogs for four time windows between AD 1700 and 2010. The LRA estimates of % cover for woodland/forest, grassland, wetland, and cultivated land were compared with those extracted from historical maps within 3-km radius around each bog. Map-extracted land-use categories and pollen-based LRA estimates (in % cover) of the same land-use categories show a reasonable agreement in several cases; when they do not agree, the assumptions used in the data (maps)-model (LRA) comparison are a better explanation of the discrepancies between the two than possible biases of the LRA modeling approach. Both the LRA reconstructions and the historical maps reveal between-site differences in landscape characteristics through time, but they demonstrate comparable, profound transformations of the regional and local landscapes over time and space due to the agrarian reforms in southern Sweden during the 18th and 19th centuries. The LRA was found to be the most reasonable approach so far to reconstruct quantitatively past landscape changes from fossil pollen data. The existing landscape diversity in the region at the beginning of the 18th century had its origin in the long-term regional and local vegetation and land-use history over millennia. Agrarian reforms since the 18th century resulted in a dramatic loss of landscape diversity and evenness in both time and space over the last two centuries leading to a similarly dramatic loss of species (e.g., beetles).

Nowakowskiella moubasheriana sp. nov., a new cladochytrioid fungus from Poland

A new exooperculate species of Nowakowskiella has been described. The type strain has been isolated from the water sample taken from the small bog in the ash forest in the National Kampinos Park near Warsaw. The fungus developed on bits of onion skin the rhizomycelial growth and formed numerous zoosporangia and resting spores. It is considered by the author to be a new species of <i>Nowakowskiella</i> related to <i>N. macrospora</i> Karling, and named <i>N. moubasheriana</i> sp. nov.

Temporal variations in dissolved organic carbon concentrations in upland and lowland lakes in North Wales

AbstractOver a period of 18 months, the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration of a series of four lakes in North Wales was measured monthly. The lake catchment profiles consisted of an upland thin peat/soil (Llyn Cwellyn), an upland thin peat/soil associated with an adjacent area of small bog (Llyn Teyrn), an upland blanket bog (Llyn Conwy), and large lowland fen and fertile agricultural area (Llyn Cefni). The results examine the indirect effect of temperature and precipitation on the DOC concentrations found in the lakes fed by the catchments. The lowest DOC of the four sites was observed for Llyn Teyrn, varying from 1.2 to 3.30 mg/L, and with the highest being recorded for Llyn Cefni (5.45–10.83 mg/L). Temperature and rainfall data were both collected. Correlations with the DOC exhibited significant relationships with temperature for three of the sampled lakes Cwellyn (r 0.490), Teyrn (r 0.640) and Cefni (r 0.472). Recomputation versus 30‐ and 60‐day temperature lag times improved the correlation coefficients. The data showed weak and insignificant correlations for DOC versus rainfall for the three lakes, but the upland lake, Llyn Conwy, with its blanket bog catchment, did not demonstrate any statistical correlation with temperature, although it did show a significant correlation for DOC versus rainfall (r 0.553, P < 0.05). Over the sampling period, although tentative relationships were found among temperature, rainfall and DOC levels, an indirect association tempered by site hydrology is suggested.

The impact of conifer plantation forestry on the Chydoridae (Cladocera) communities of peatland lakes

Conifer plantation forestry is recognised as a potential source of diffuse pollution to surface waters and represents a risk to their ecological status. In this study, the water chemistry and Chydoridae (Cladocera) communities of 26 small blanket bog lakes were investigated to assess the impact of plantation forestry. The study was conducted over a 12-month period in 2009–2010 by comparing lakes with three distinct catchment land uses: (i) unplanted blanket bog only present in the catchment, (ii) mature conifer plantation forests only present in the catchment and (iii) catchments containing mature conifer plantation forests with recently clearfelled areas. All three catchment land uses were replicated across two geologies: sandstone and granite. Lakes with afforested catchments had very high concentrations of plant nutrients (P and N), total dissolved organic carbon (TDOC) and heavy metals (Al and Fe), the highest concentrations being recorded from the clearfelled lakes. Similarly, the chydorid communities differed between lakes of contrasting catchment land use. The dominance of Alonopsis elongata in the unplanted blanket bog lakes shifted to dominance by the smaller bodied Chydorus sphaericus, along with Alonella nana, Alonella excisa and Alonella exigua, in the plantation forestry-effected lakes, consistent with a shift in lake trophy. Our findings have shown that plantation forestry can have a profound impact on the water quality of small peatland lakes, especially at the clearfell stage. The response of the chydorid communities is consistent with plantation forestry exerting a trophic, rather than an acidic or toxic, effect on lake ecosystems.

Holocene environmental change in southern Spain deduced from the isotopic record of a high-elevation wetland in Sierra Nevada

Small lakes and wetlands from high eleva- tion within the Sierra Nevada Range (southern Spain) preserve a complete post-glacial Holocene record. Isotopic, TOC and C/N analyses, carried out on a sediment core, show various stages in the evolution of the Borreguiles de la Virgen, which today constitute a small bog at about 2,950 m above sea level. Glacial erosion generated a cirque depression, which became a small lake during the first phase of infilling (from 8,200 to 5,100 cal yr BP), as suggested by sedimentary evidence, including an atomic C/N ratio generally below 20, low TOC values and the highest d 13 Ca ndd 15 N values of the record. These results imply significant algal productivity, which is confirmed by the microscopic algal remains. Drier conditions became established progressively in this area from 5,100 to 3,700 cal yr BP. Subsequently, the lake evolved into a bog as shown by geochemical evidence (C/N ratios above 20, high TOC content and low d 13 C values). Unstable conditions prevailed from 3,600 to 700 cal yr BP; an extremely low sedimentation rate and scarcity of data from this period do not allow us to make a coherent interpretation. Fluctuating conditions were recorded during the last *700 cal yr BP, with wetter conditions prevailing during the first part of the interval (with C/N rate below 20) up to 350 years ago. In general, a gradual trend toward more arid conditions occurred since *6,900 - cal yr BP, with a further increase in aridity sin- ce *5,100 cal yr BP. This evidence is consistent with other contemporaneous peri-Mediterranean records.

Response to Interpreting the ash trend within ombrotrophic bog profiles: atmospheric dust depositions vs. mineralization processes. The Etang de la Gruère case study

In ‘Interpreting the ash trend within ombrotrophic bog profiles: atmospheric dust depositions vs. mineralization processes. The Etang de la Gruere case study’, Zaccone et al. (2011a) question our interpretation of enhanced ash contents in depth profiles of ombrotrophic bogs. We see them as an indication for C-loss through peat decay (Leifeld et al. 2011). We highly appreciate the work by Claudio Zaccone, William Shotyk and co-authors on peatlands, including their discussion of methods and their limitations. The approach described in Leifeld et al. (2011) has the potential to overcome some limitations of other methods to estimate C-loss from disturbed peatlands but needs to be carefully evaluated. The criticism of Zaccone et al. (2011a) relates to one (EGr) of the four different bogs discussed in our study. EGr is a rather small bog (5 ha). Therefore, the concerns raised in this single case may not be generalized. In our study, EGr served as a reference site and its ash peak has been attributed mainly to human disturbance but less to changing patterns in atmospheric deposition or drainage. Zaccone et al. (2011a) challenge this assumption and raise three points of concern, (1) sampling methodology, (2) normalization of ash peaks to depth, and (3) discussion and interpretation of ash peaks. We reply to each of them.

Phylogenetic composition of bacterial communities in small boreal lakes and ombrotrophic bogs of the upper Volga basin

Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with rRNA-specific oligonucleotide probes was used to assess the numbers and phylogenetic diversity of prokaryotic microorganisms in the water of small boreal lakes and peatland catchments of the swampy upper Volga basin. The abundance of bacterioplankton in lake water was found to vary from 1.6 to 8.7 × 106 cells ml−1, with the highest values detected in neutral eutrophic lakes. The total cell numbers in the peat of ombrotrophic bogs were 3.9–4.3 × 108 cells g−1 of wet peat. The proportion of bacteria identified by the group-specific probes decreased from 79–85% in neutral (pH 6.6–6.9) mesotrophic and eutrophic lakes to 65–69% in acidic (pH 4.4–5.5) dystrophic lakes and to 51–58% in the peat of acidic (pH 3.6–3.9) ombrotrophic bogs. The diversity of bacterial communities was highest in lakes with neutral water. These communities were dominated by members of the phylum Actinobacteria (31–44% of the total bacterial number), while the contribution of Alphaproteobacteria (16–19%), Bacteroidetes (6–16%), Betaproteobacteria (6–7%), Planctomycetes (2–8%), and Gammaproteobacteria (4–5%) was also significant. In acidic dystrophic lakes, Actinobacteria (25–35%) and Betaproteobacteria (25–34%) predominated, while peatland catchments were dominated by the Alphaproteobacteria (20–23%). The presence of acidobacteria and some planctomycetes common for bogs in the water of acidic dystrophic lakes, as well as the high proportion of bacteria (31–49%) that were not identified by the group-specific probes, suggest the impact of microbial processes in peatland catchments on the microbial composition of the receiving waters.