Roots, Tissues, Cells and Fragments—How to Characterize Peat from Drained and Rewetted Fens

Abstract

We present analyses of macroscopic and microscopic remains as a tool to characterise sedge fen peats. We use it to describe peat composition and stages of peat decomposition, to assess the success of rewetting of a formerly drained fen, and to understand the workings of these novel ecosystems. We studied two percolation fen sites, one drained and one drained and rewetted 20 years ago. Years of deep drainage have resulted in a layer of strongly decomposed peat which lacks recognizable macro-remains. We could associate micro-remains with macro-remains, and thus still characterise the peat and the plants that once formed it. We show that the strongly decomposed peat is of the same origin as the slightly decomposed peat below, and that is was ploughed

Keywords

• displacement peat
• percolation fen
• macro-remains
• micro-remains
• drainage
• rewetting
• peat degradation
• non-pollen palynomorphs