Perennially Frozen Peatlands in the Western Arctic and Subarctic of Canada

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
• Main Authors: Zoltai, S. C., Tarnocai, C.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1975
• Subjects: General Earth and Planetary Sciences; Arctic; Canada; palsas; Peat; permafrost; Subarctic
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/e75-004; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/e75-004

Perennially frozen peatlands were divided into five morphological types: peat plateaus, polygonal peat plateaus, palsas, fen ridges and lowland polygons. One hundred and eight different peatlands were cored, measured and sampled. The internal structure of all but the lowland polygons suggests that the peat was deposited in wet fens unaffected by permafrost, and that permafrost developed only after a thin layer of Sphagnum covered them. The lowland polygons evolved in a permafrost environment. The study area was divided into four regions oh the basis of predominance of different peatlands forms.