1. INDICATORS OF REGENERATION IN AN ABANDONED CUT-OVER SCOTTISH PEATLAND
Stephen J. Chapman
Rebekka R.E. Artz

2. Introduction Peatlands harbour 30% soil C 90% loss in some countries
Drainage alters plant biodiversity
C sequestration promoted by Sphagnum
Balance of decay and production
Diversity of microbial population?

3. Site location:
Middlemuir
Moss,
Scotland

4. Peat harvester

5. Effect of hydrological conditions

6. Sites at Middlemuir Moss, UK

7. Site D (50 years) sampling horizons h3 0-5 cm h4 5-10 cm

8. Carbon sources used in test, 14C-labelled
Glucose
Galactose
Arabinose
Xylose
Sucrose
Mannitol
Glucosamine
N-acetyl glucosamine
Benzoic acid
Phenylethylamine
Glycine
Lysine
Arginine
Aspartic acid
Glutamic acid

10. Carbon source utilization pattern for site D (50 years)

11. Bare peat

12. S.fallax

13. Eriophorum/S. fallax

14. Sphagnum/Molinia

15. All sites

16. CVA loadings

17. Conclusions Response to carbon sources decreases with peat depth
Pattern of C source utilization also changes with depth
Pattern is further modified by surface vegetation
Microbial community changes during recolonization process

18. Acknowledgements
Angela Fraser
EU project RECIPE (EVK2-CT )