Peat-Forming plant specific biomarkers as indicators of paleoenvironmental changes in Sphagnum-dominated peatlands.

Fatima Laggoun-Défarge (1) , Andreas Gattinguer (2) , Laure Comont (1) , Jean-Robert Disnar (1) , Nathalie Lottier (1) , Pascale Gautret (1) , Michael Schloter (3)

1 ISTO - Institut des Sciences de la Terre d'Orléans
2 TUM - Technische Universität Munchen - Technical University Munich - Université Technique de Munich
3 GSF-National Research Center for Environment and Health

The high preservation of organic material in peatlands that results from low pH, anoxia and rapid burial make the peat archives particularly useful for reconstructing natural or anthropogenic environmental changes. Nevertheless, up to now biochemical composition of peat OM has rarely been used as indicator for past environmental conditions, particularly in ombrotrophic peatlands. Within RECIPE, a European Union Framework 5 initiative, we aimed to identify combinations of site physico-chemical conditions, vegetation composition and below-ground microbiological characteristics that are beneficial to the long-term regeneration of cut-over peatland biodiversity and restoration of the carbon sink function (Chapman et al., 2003).

Domaines: Géochimie; Interfaces continentales, environnement

Fatima Laggoun-Défarge, Andreas Gattinguer, Laure Comont, Jean-Robert Disnar, Nathalie Lottier, et al.. Peat-Forming plant specific biomarkers as indicators of paleoenvironmental changes in Sphagnum-dominated peatlands.. IMOG, Sep 2007, Torquay, United Kingdom. pp.P200-TU. ⟨insu-00190973⟩