1st International Conference of Soil and Agriculture:
TOWARDS SOIL SUSTAINABILITY
11–13 June 2024 • Lublin–Nałęczów, Poland

https://doi.org/10.24326/ICSA1.PP.31
Published online: 4 October 2024

Assessment of the state and directions of contemporary transformations of small mid-forest and mid-field peat bogs
Danuta Urban*, Anna Iwona Mikosz

Institute of Soil Science, Environmental Engineering and Management, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Leszczyńskiego 7, 20-069 Lublin, Poland
* Corresponding author:

Abstract
Marsh ecosystems, especially raised and transitional peat bogs, are among the most endangered landscape elements. Changes in the hydrological factor influence the direction of succession of plant communities and the type of processes occurring in soils (marsh, gley, muck processes). There are three phases in the development of wetland habitats: accumulation, compensation phase and decession phase. The first phase is characterized by a positive balance of organic matter. The compensation phase determines the balance between biomass production in the hydrogenic habitat and its decomposition. The decession phase involves the loss of soil mass as a result of mineralization in aerobic conditions. Interdisciplinary research was carried out on 12 small mid-field and mid-forest peat bogs (low, raised and transitional peat bogs) located in the Łęczna-Włodawa Plain (Western Polesie). In the past, all examined objects were drainless depressions with a maximum depth of approximately 6.0 m. The process of peat formation here began at various times during the Holocene. Initially, sedimentation of organic and mineral formations took place, and then (gyttja or various types of peat were deposited. The basic factors that determined the peat-forming process and the directions of vegetation succession in the studied peat bogs were geomorphological and hydrological conditions and climate changes. In the initial stages of their development, the influence of the original relief and hydrological conditions was visible. In later phases, the climate and water factor dominated, determining the direction of succession of plant communities. The formation of the roof layers was influenced by changes both within the peat bogs themselves and in their surroundings, caused by climatic and anthropogenic factors. The studied objects currently differ in water conditions, vegetation, soils, as well as the content of macro- and microelements in the soils. Based on research on the plant and soil cover as well as water conditions, it was determined what development stages the examined peat bog objects were in. The conducted research shows that there were 4 transitional peat bogs in the accumulation phase, as well as peat ponds in four other peat bogs. The decession phase prevailed in three low peat bogs. In the case of one very shallow peat bog, this was the compensation phase. In one peat bog, the presence of secondary marsh processes was found.

Keywords: small peat bogs, development phase

How to cite
Urban D., Mikosz A.I., 2024. Assessment of the state and directions of contemporary transformations of small mid-forest and mid-field peat bogs. 1st International Conference of Soil and Agriculture: Towards Soil Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICSA1.PP.31