The formation of vertical edges on Antarctic moss peat banks

• Published in: Arctic and Alpine Research
• Main Author: Fenton, J.H.C.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Taylor and Francis 1982
• Subjects: Botany; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Arctic; Arctic and Alpine Research
• Online Access: http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/524362/; https://doi.org/10.2307/1550811

Moss peat banks, which can be up to 3 m deep, greater than 2500 m2 in area, and up to 5000 yr old, occur in the Antarctic. Radiocarbon dates show that the peat accumulation rate has varied from 0.25 to 2.00 mm yr-1. These peat banks have an abrupt vertical edge of exposed peat, which does not appear to be due to erosion of a once-larger peat bank. These edges seem to have arisen because, as peat accumulates and the moss banks become deeper, increased snow-lie prevents outward growth of the banks at their edges.