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Title: The ecology of patterned boreal peatlands of northern Minnesota: A community profile

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5842667

This report reviews the ecological information available for patterned boreal peatlands in northern Minnesota. Although vast areas of Canada and Alaska are covered by boreal forests, they extend southward into the continental United States only in northern Minnesota and to a lesser extent in northern Michigan. In northern Minnesota these peatlands comprise large areas of freshwater wetlands whose unique hydrological characteristics promote the development of patterned vegetation. This publication describes the distribution of peatlands, the physical settings in which they exist, and the processes leading to their development on the landscape. Hydrology, water chemistry, and nutrient cycling in bogs and fens are discussed. The plant communities unique to these types of wetlands, their successional trends, and the animal communities inhabiting them are also described. The profile closes with a summary of past human impacts on peatlands and recommendations for future management.

Research Organization:
Minnesota Univ., Minneapolis (USA). Limnological Research Center
OSTI ID:
5842667
Report Number(s):
BR-85(7.14); ON: TI88900213
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English