Articles | Volume 22, issue 20
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-5849-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-5849-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
22 Oct 2025
Research article |
| 22 Oct 2025
| 22 Oct 2025
Response and recovery of a Sphagnum peatland from long-term human-induced alkalinisation
Luke Oliver Andrews
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Climate Change Ecology Research Unit, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
present address: School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
Katarzyna Marcisz
Climate Change Ecology Research Unit, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
Piotr Kołaczek
Climate Change Ecology Research Unit, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
Leeli Amon
Department of Geology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
Siim Veski
Department of Geology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
Atko Heinsalu
Department of Geology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
Normunds Stivrins
Department of Geology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
Department of Geology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava, Latvia
Mariusz Bąk
Climate Change Ecology Research Unit, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
Marco A. Aquino-Lopez
Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Anna Cwanek
Department of Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakòw, Poland
Edyta Łokas
Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
Monika Karpińska-Kołaczek
Climate Change Ecology Research Unit, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
Sambor Czerwiński
Climate Change Ecology Research Unit, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
Department of Geomorphology and Quaternary Geology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
Michał Słowiński
Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
Mariusz Lamentowicz
Climate Change Ecology Research Unit, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
Data sets
Response and recovery of a Sphagnum peatland affected by intensive alkaline dust pollution data files Luke Andrews et al. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.28554173
Short summary
The long-term effects of alkalinisation upon peatland ecosystem functioning remains poorly understood. Using palaeoecological techniques, we show that intensive cement dust pollution altered vegetation cover and reduced carbon storage in an Estonian peatland. Changes also occurred during the 13th century following agricultural intensification. These shifts occurred following substantial as well as small but sustained increases in alkalinity. Limited recovery was evident ~30 years post-pollution.
The long-term effects of alkalinisation upon peatland ecosystem functioning remains poorly...
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