Some unsolved problems in peatland ecology

摘要: Because of their peculiarly autogenous nature, and because they have received much less study than terrestrial aquatic ecosystems, peatlands pose a number major problems. The control plant growth decay- hence peat accumu­ lation - by environmental factors such as climate, topography, nutrient inputs from the atmosphere soil is poorly understood. delicate interaction decomposition with surface- ground-water flow to generate complex landscape patterns even more mysterious. role geo­ chemical sink has not been well worked out, cycling little studied modern mass-balance techniques. Gaseous fluxes in particular are known. Autecological studies peatland plants animals very scarce, for example it known whether rates peat-forming species Sphagnum limited supplies specific nutrients. Life histories important animals, nor do we broad general understanding that distributions asso­ ciations.