Peat Evolution along Deep Profiles from a Floating Mire (Posta Fibreno, Centre of Italy)

摘要

Peat-forming floating mires could provide an exceptional tool for palaeoenvironmental studies. To evaluate their possible role as reliable archives of changes occurring during the past centuries to millennia, it becomes crucial to clarify what occurs during decomposition processes in this particular type of ecosystem. In fact, we must be sure that information on environmental changes are effectively preserved in peat deposits over time. To try solving such a nodal point, a 4 m peat core was collected from the floating island of Posta Fibreno, a relic mire in the Central Italy, frozen cut in 1-to-2 cm layers, and analyzed using several techniques. In this work, we present our preliminary results regarding the evolution of the organic matter along the first 100 cm, providing also some insight into the possible mechanism of the formation and evolution of this “unique” floating island.