Holocene development and permafrost history of two mires in Tavvavuoma, Northern Sweden

• Main Author: Prėskienis, Vilmantas
• Format: Bachelor Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för naturgeografi och kvartärgeologi (INK) 2013
• Subjects: plant macrofossils; palsa; peat plateau; peatland development; Tavvavuoma; permafrost; Holocene; soil carbon content; Fennoscandia; Ice; Northern Sweden; Peat; Peat plateau
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-92709

Two peat cores from two mires with different characteristics, but both containingpermafrost features and located in the eastern part of the Tavvavuoma mire complex innorthernmost Sweden, were analysed for macrofossils and geochemical properties. Local vegetationsequences and changes in geochemical properties of peat were used to reconstruct development ofthe studied mires during the Holocene. The study includes measurements of water/ice content, bulkdensity, loss-on-ignition and C/N ratio. Radiocarbon dates for peatland inception and permafrostaggradation are available. The main purpose of the study is to verify permafrost history in thepeatlands. The results of the macrofossil analysis and values of C/N ratio indicate nutrient poor tointermediate fen environments in both studied mires until recently. Signs of permafrost upheavalwhich caused formation of xerophilic peat can be proved only since late 1950’s. The study resultscorroborate with other studies from Northern Fennoscandia and infer peatland initiation soon afterthe deglaciation of the area and permafrost-free conditions throughout entire Holocene untilrecently.