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Hydrogenic sites and Soils Research
Recognition of the peat deposit stratigraphy
The recognition will be carried out in selected places, located in the regular, leveled net, by bore-holes drilling and peat sampling. Field/laboratory analysis will include following elements: peat type (by macro- and microscope methods), degree of peat decomposition, origin of plant remnants and peat age (by C14 method). The collected information will enable to recognize plant communities’ succession schemes in the bog and its vicinity, dynamics of plant cover changes, and also – direction and range of changes of the hydrological conditions in the Holocene climatic phases. The research results will form core information for a GIS standard map of peat stratigraphy and stratigraphic cross-sections of the peat deposit. The collected data will enable to define hydrological feeding types. Tables containing results of paleobotanical recognition will be also prepared during the works.
Soils recognition
Recognition of soil cover will be carried out in the bore-hole peat sampling points and places where characteristic plant communities occur (indicated by botanists). Soils will be classified into types and subtypes according to current classification and temporary water levels will be recorded. In order to recognize the last changes in the peat accumulation processes (related to the water conditions changes in the Biebrza valley caused by anthropogenic factor), the particular attention will be dedicated to the top diagnostic levels of the soil profiles. A soil map in the GIS standard and compilations of the soil profiles research results will be performed in the course of the laboratory works.
The understanding of relationships between soil conditions and plant cover
Soil samples will be taken from diagnostic soil levels of the profiles and afterwards analyzed in the laboratory. These analysis will include: identification of physico-hydrological properties of the soil formations, mainly its retention-infiltration properties and ability to conduct water to the plants. Chemical analysis will be carried out in the scope enabling to assess nutrient loads, pH, redox potential and electrolytic conductivity. The results of the soil analysis allow define soil-water preconditions for plant communities (regarding optimal and threshold conditions for reference plant communities) and identify anthropogenic or climatic causes of disturbances occurring in current plant cover. The results of the studies will allow elaborate of protection strategy for the Red Bog and other baltic bogs transformed by the human impact.
