Evidence for climatic deteriorations associated with the decline of Sphagnum imbricatum Hornsch. ex Russ. in six ombrotrophic mires from northern England and the Scottish Borders
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online May, 1999
Evidence for climatic deteriorations associated with the decline of Sphagnum imbricatum Hornsch. ex Russ. in six ombrotrophic mires from northern England and the Scottish Borders
The decline of Sphagnum imbricatum from the peat stratigraphy of six ombrotrophic mires (Bolton Fell Moss and Walton Moss, Raeburn Flow and Bell's Flow, and Coom Rigg Moss and Felecia Moss), has been investigated using colorimetric humification, quantitative plant macrofossil, and testate amoebae analyses. The chronology of each peat profile was determined by radiocarbon assay and pollen/land-use correlations. Palaeoclimate reconstructions have been made by linking known documentary/historical changes in climate, and other proxy-climate records, to those inferred from the sites investigated in the study region. In two of the ombrotrophic mires examined, there are wet shifts associated with the decline and local extinction of S. imbricatum, which are dated to cal. ad 1160–1400 (Raeburn Flow and Bell's Flow). In Coom Rigg Moss and Felecia Moss, wet shifts are also associated with the decline and local extinction of S. imbricatum between cal. ad 1395–1485. The decline of S. imbricatum from two other ombrotrophic mires (Bolton Fell Moss Core L and Walton Moss Core 11) is dated to cal. ad 1030–1400, and may have been due to interspecific competition between Sphagnum species during the ‘Early Medieval Warm Period’ and the ‘Little Ice Age’.
Aaby, B.1976: Cyclic climatic variations in climate over the past 5,500 years reflected in raised peat bogs . Nature263, 281–284 .
2.
Aaby, B. and Tauber, H.1975: Rates of peat formation in relation to degree of humification and local environment, as shown by studies of a raised bog in Denmark . Boreas4, 1–17 .
3.
Barber, K.E.1981: Peat stratigraphy and climatic change: a palaeoeco-logical test of the theory of cyclic peat bog regeneration. Rotterdam: Balk-ema .
4.
Barber, K.E.1984: A large capacity Russian-pattern sediment sampler . Quaternary Newsletter44, 28–31 .
5.
Barber, K.E. , Chambers, F.M. , Dumayne, L. , Haslam, C.J. , Maddy, D. and Stoneman, R.E.1994a: Climatic change and human impact in north Cumbria: peat stratigraphic and pollen evidence from Bolton Fell Moss and Walton Moss. In Boardman, J. and Walden, J. , editors, The Quaternary of Cumbria: field guide, Oxford: Quaternary Research Association , 20–54.
6.
Barber, K.E. , Chambers, F.M. and Maddy, D.1994b: Sensitive high resolution records of Holocene palaeoclimate from ombrotrophic bogs. In Funnell, B.M. & Kay, R.L.F. , editors, Palaeoclimate of the last glacial/interglacial cycle. Special publication No. 94/2 of the Earth Sciences Directorate, Swindon: Natural Environment Research Council .
7.
Barber, K.E. , Chambers, F.M. , Maddy, D. , Stoneman, R. and Brew, J.S.1994c: A sensitive high resolution record of late Holocene climatic change from a raised bog in northern England . The Holocene4, 198–205 .
8.
Barber, K.E. , Dumayne, L. and Stoneman, R.1993: Climatic change and human impact during the late Holocene in northern Britain. In Chambers, F.M. , editor, Climate change and human impact on the landscape, London: Chapman and Hall , 225–236.
9.
Barber, K.E. , Dumayne-Peaty, L. , Hughes, P.D.M. , Mauquoy, D. and Scaife, R.G.1998: Replicability and variability of the recent macrofossil and proxy-climate record from raised bogs: field stratigraphy and macro-fossil data from Bolton Fell Moss and Walton Moss, Cumbria, England . Journal of Quaternary Science13, 515–528 .
10.
Barrow, E. , Hulme, M. and Jiang, T.1993: A 1961–90 baseline and future climate change scenarios for Great Britain and Europe. Part I: 1961–90 Great Britain Baseline Climatology. Norwich: Climatic Research Unit, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia .
11.
Blackford, J.J. 1990: Blanket mires and climatic change; a palaeoeco-logical study based on peat humification and microfossil analyses. PhD thesis, University of Keele.
12.
Blackford, J.J. and Chambers, F.M.1991: Proxy records of climate from blanket mires: evidence for a Dark Age (1400 BP) climatic deterioration in the British Isles . The Holocene1, 63–67 .
13.
Blackford, J.J. and Chambers, F.M.1993: Determining the degree of peat decomposition for peat based palaeoclimatic studies . International Peat Journal5, 7–24 .
14.
Blackford, J.J. and Chambers, F.M.1995: Proxy climate record for the last 1000 years from Irish blanket peat and a possible link to solar variability . Earth and Planetary Science Letters133, 145–150 .
15.
Boatman, D.J.1983: The Silver Flowe National Nature Reserve, Galloway, Scotland . Journal of Biogeography10, 163–274 .
16.
Bradley, R.S. and Jones, P.D.1993: ‘Little Ice Age’ summer temperature variations: nature and relevance . The Holocene3, 367–376 .
17.
Bronk-Ramsey, C.1995: Radiocarbon calibration and analysis of stratigraphy – the OXCAL program . Radiocarbon37, 425–430 .
18.
Casparie, W.A.1972: Bog development in Southeastern Drenthe . Vegetatio25, 1–271 .
19.
Chambers, F.M.1984: Studies on the initiation, growth rate and humification of blanket peat in south Wales . University of Keele, Department of Geography, Occasional Papers9, 1–26 .
20.
Charman, D.J. and Warner, B.G.1992: Relationship between testate amoebae (Protozoa: Rhizopoda) and micro-environmental parameters on a forested peatland in northeastern Ontario . Canadian Journal of Zoology70, 2474–2482 .
21.
Chapman, S.B.1964: The ecology of Coom Rigg Moss, Northumberland: I. Stratigraphy and present vegetation . Journal of Ecology52, 299–313 .
22.
Chapman, S.B. and Rose, R.J.1991: Changes in the vegetation at Coom Rigg Moss National Nature Reserve within the period 1958–86 . Journal of Applied Ecology28, 140–153 .
23.
Clarke, M.J. 1988: Past and present mire communities of the New Forest and their conservation. PhD thesis, University of Southampton.
24.
Clymo, R.S. , Oldfield, F. , Appleby, P.G. , Pearson, G.W. , Ratnesar, P. and Richardson, N.1990: The record of atmospheric deposition on a rainwater-dependent peatland . Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of LondonB327, 331–338 .
25.
Corbet, S.A.1973: An illustrated introduction to the testate rhizopods in Sphagnum, with special reference to the area around Malham Tarn, Yorkshire . Field Studies3, 801–838 .
26.
Daniels, R.E. and Eddy, A.1990: A handbook of European Sphagna. Swindon: Natural Environment Research Council .
27.
De Graaf, F.1956: Studies on Rotatoria and Rhizopoda from the Netherlands. I. Rotatoria and Rhizopoda from the ‘Grote Huisven’ . Biologische Jaarboek Dodonaea23, 145–217 .
28.
Dickson, J.H.1973: Bryophytes of the Pleistocene. The British record and its chronological and ecological implications. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press .
29.
Dumayne-Peaty, L. and Barber, K.E.1998: Late Holocene vegetation history, human impact and pollen representativity variations in northern Cumbria, England . Journal of Quaternary Science13, 147–164 .
30.
Flatberg, I.1986: Taxonomy, morphovariation, distribution and ecology of the Sphagnum imbricatum complex with main reference to Norway . Gunneria54, 1–118 .
31.
Godwin, H. and Conway, V.M.1939: The ecology of a raised bog near Tregaron, Cardiganshire . Journal of Ecology27, 313–363 .
32.
Green, B.H.1968: Factors influencing the spatial and temporal distribution of Sphagnum imbricatum Hornsch. ex Russ. in the British Isles . Journal of Ecology56, 47–58 .
33.
Grimm, E.1992: TILIA and TILIAGRAPH. Illinois: Illinois State Museum .
34.
Grospietsch, T.1958: Wechseltierchen (Rhizopoden). Stuttgart: Kosmos – Gesellschaft der Naturfreunde und Frankh'sche Verlagshandlung .
35.
Grosse-Brauckmann, G.1972: Üischer Torfe. I. Gewebereste kräutiger Pflanzen und ihre Merkmale . Telma2, 19–55 .
36.
Hall, V.A. , Pilcher, J.R. and McCormac, F.G.1993: Tephra-dated lowland landscape history of the north of Ireland . New Phytologist125, 193–202 .
37.
Haslam, C.J. 1987: Late Holocene peat stratigraphy and climatic change – a macrofossil investigation from the raised mires of Western Europe. PhD thesis, University of Southampton.
38.
Heal, O.W.1961: The distribution of testate amoebae (Rhizopoda: Testacea) in some fens and bogs in northern England . Journal of the Linnean Society-Zoology44, 369–382 .
39.
Hendon, D. and Charman, D.J.1997: The preparation of testate amoebae (Protozoa: Rhizopoda) samples from peat . The Holocene7, 199–205 .
40.
Hogg, E.H.1993: Decay potential of hummock and hollow Sphagnum peats at different depths in a Swedish raised bog . Oikos66, 269–278 .
41.
Hughes, P.D.M. 1997: The palaeoecology of the fen/bog transition during the early to mid-Holocene in Britain. PhD thesis, University of Southampton.
42.
Johnson, L.C. and Damman, A.W.H.1991: Species controlled Sphagnum decay on a south Swedish raised bog . Oikos61, 234–242 .
43.
Johnson, L.C. , Damman, A.W.H. and Malmer, N.1990: Sphagnum macrostructure as an indicator of decay and compaction in peat cores from an ombrotrophic south Swedish peat bog . Journal of Ecology78, 633–647 .
44.
Katz, N.J. , Katz, S.V. and Skobeyeva, E.I.1977: Atlas of plant remains in peats (in Russian). Moscow: Nauka .
45.
Lamb, H.H.1977: Climate: past, present and future. Volume 2: Climatic history and the future. London: Methuen .
46.
Li, Y. and Vitt, D.H.1995: The dynamics of moss establishment: temporal responses to a moisture gradient . Journal of Bryology18, 677–687 .
47.
Lindsay, R.A. , Charman, D.J. , Everingham, F. , O'Reilly, R.M. , Palmer, M.A. , Rowell, T.A. and Stroud, D.A.1998: The Flow Country. The peatlands of Caithness and Sutherland. Peterborough: Nature Conservancy Council .
48.
Lousier, J.D.1984a: Population dynamics and production studies of Phryganella acropodia and Difflugia oviformis (Testacea, Rhizopoda, Protozoa) in an aspen woodland soil . Pedobiologia1, 268–278 .
49.
Lousier, J.D.1984b: Population dynamics and production studies of species of Euglyphidae (Testacea, Rhizopoda, Protozoa) . Archiv für Protistenkunde136, 153–189 .
50.
Matthews, J.A.1991: The late Neoglacial (‘Little Ice Age’) glacier maximum in southern Norway: new 14C dating evidence and climatic implications . The Holocene1, 219–233 .
51.
Mauquoy, D. 1997: Testing the sensitivity of the palaeoclimatic signal from ombrotrophic peat stratigraphy. PhD thesis, University of Southampton.
52.
Moore, P.D. , Webb, J.A. and Collinson, M.E.1991: Pollen analysis. London: Blackwell .
53.
Morrison, M.E.S.1959: The ecology of a raised bog in Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland . Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy60B, 291–308 .
54.
Økland, R.H.1990: A phytoecological study of the mire Northern Kisselbergmosen, SE Norway. III. Diversity and habitat niche relationships . Nordic Journal of Botany10, 191–220 .
55.
Oldfield, F. , Thompson, R. , Crooks, P.R.J. , Gedye, S.J. , Hall, V.A. , Harkness, D.D. , Housley, R.S. , McCormac, F.G. , Newton, A.J. , Pilcher, J.R. , Renberg, I. and Richardson, N.1997: Radiocarbon dating of a recent high-latitude peat profile: Stor Åmyran, northern Sweden . The Holocene7, 283–290 .
56.
Pearsall, W.H.1956: Two blanket bogs in Sutherland . Journal of Ecology44, 493–516 .
57.
Pearson, G.W. and Stuiver, M.1986: High precision of the radiocarbon timescale, 500–2500 bc . Radiocarbon28 (2B), 839–862 .
58.
Piggot, C.D. and Piggot, M.E.1963: Late-glacial and post-glacial deposits at Malham, Yorkshire . New Phytologist62, 317–334 .
59.
Rochefort, L. , Vitt, D.H. and Bayley, S.E.1990: Growth, production and decomposition dynamics of Sphagnum under natural and experimentally acidified conditions . Ecology71 (5), 1986–2000 .
60.
Rudolph, H. and Voigt, J.U.1986: Effects of NH4+-N and NO3--N on growth and metabolism of Sphagnum magellanicum . Physiologia Plan-tarum66, 339–343 .
61.
Slater, F.M. and Slater, E.J.1978: The changing status of Sphagnum imbricatum Hornsch. ex Russ. on Borth Bog, Wales . Journal of Bryology10, 155–161 .
62.
Smith, A.J.E.1978: The moss flora of Britain and Ireland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press .
63.
Smith, B.M. 1985: A palaeoecological study of raised mires in the Humberhead levels. PhD thesis, University of Wales (Cardiff).
64.
Stace, J.1991: New flora of the British Isles. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press .
65.
Stockmarr, J.1971: Tablets with spores used in absolute pollen analysis . Pollen et Spores13, 615–621 .
66.
Stoneman, R.E. 1993: Holocene palaeoclimates from peat stratigraphy: extending and refining the model. PhD thesis, University of Southampton.
67.
Stoneman, R. , Barber, K. and Maddy, D.1993: Present and past ecology of Sphagnum imbricatum and its significance in raised peat-climate modelling . Quaternary Newsletter70, 14–22 .
68.
Stuiver, M. and Kra, R.S. , editors, 1986: Calibration Issue . Radiocarbon28 (2B), 805–1030 .
69.
Stuiver, M. and Pearson, G.W.1986: High-precision calibration of the radiocarbon time scale, ad 1950–500 bc . Radiocarbon28 (2B), 805–838 .
70.
Stuiver, M. and Reimer, P.J.1986: A computer program for radiocarbon age calculation . Radiocarbon28, 1022–1030 .
71.
Svensson, G.1988: Bog development and environmental conditions as shown by the stratigraphy of Store Moss in southern Sweden . Boreas17, 89–111 .
72.
Tallis, J.H.1995: Climate and erosion signals in British blanket peats: the significance of Racomitrium lanuginosum remains . Journal of Ecology83, 1021–1030 .
73.
Tipping, R.1995: Holocene evolution of a lowland Scottish landscape: Part I, peat and pollen-stratigraphic evidence for raised moss development and climatic change . The Holocene5, 69–81 .
74.
Tolonen, K.1966: Stratigraphic and rhizopod analyses on an old raised bog, Varrassuo, in Hollola, South Finland . Annales Botanici Fennici3, 147–166 .
75.
Tolonen, K.1971: On the regeneration of North European bogs. I Klaukkalan Isosuo in S. Finland . Acta Agralia Fennica123, 143–166 .
76.
Tolonen, K.1986: Rhizopod analysis. In Berglund, B.E. , editor, Handbook of Holocene palaeoecology and palaeohydrology, Chichester: John Wiley , 869-869.
77.
Tolonen, K. , Warner, B.G. and Vasander, H.1992: Ecology of Testaceans (Protozoa: Rhizopoda) in mires in southern Finland: I. Autecology . Archiv für Protistenkunde142, 119–138 .
78.
Tolonen, K. , Warner, B.G. and Vasander, H.1994: Ecology of testaceans (Protozoa: Rhizopoda) in mires of southern Finland: II. Multivariate analysis . Archiv für Protistenkunde144, 97–112 .
79.
Van der Molen, P.C. 1992: Hummock-hollow complexes on Irish raised bogs. A palaeo/actuo ecological approach of environmental change. PhD thesis, University of Amsterdam.
80.
Van der Molen, P.C. and Hoekstra, S.P.1988: A palaeoecological study of a hummock-hollow complex from Engbertsdijksveen, in the Netherlands . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology56, 213–274 .
81.
Van Geel, B. and Middeldorp, A.A.1988: Vegetational history of Car-bury Bog (Co. Kildare, Ireland) during the last 850 years and a test of the temperature indicator value of 2H/1H measurements of peat samples in relation to historical sources and meteorological data . New Phytologist109, 377–392 .
82.
Van Geel, B. , Buurman, J. and Waterbolk, H.T.1996: Archaeological and palaeoecological indications of an abrupt climate change in The Netherlands, and evidence for climatological teleconnections around 2650 BP . Journal of Quaternary Science11, 451–460 .
Warner, B.G. and Charman, D.J.1994: Holocene changes on a peatland in northwestern Ontario interpreted from testate amoebae (Protozoa) analysis . Boreas23, 270–279 .
85.
Wimble, G.T. 1986: The palaeoecology of the lowland coastal raised mires of South Cumbria. PhD, University of Wales.
86.
Woodland, W.A. , Charman, D.J. and Sims, P.C.1998: Quantitative estimates of water tables and soil moisture in Holocene peatlands from testate amoebae . The Holocene8, 261–273 .
