SPHAGNUM-DOMINATED PEATLANDS OF THE HYPEROCEANIC BRITISH-COLUMBIA COAST - PATTERNS IN SURFACE-WATER CHEMISTRY AND VEGETATION

Surface water chemistry patterns show enriched ionic conditions on Graham Island (Queen Charlotte Islands), with a decrease inland. Especially important is the decrease of sodium and chloride ion. The peatlands studied include ombrotrophic bogs and soligenous fens. Raised bogs were found in basins, whereas blanket bogs occurred on gentle slopes at the most oceanic site. Pinus contorta Loud. var. contorta is most abundant on ombrotrophic sites, whereas Chamaecyparis nootkatensis (Lamb.) Spach is dominant in soligenous fens. Soligenous poor fen, characterized by high Sphagnum abundance in lawns and forest islands and pH of 4.4-6.6, is the peatland type most frequently encountered in the study area. -from Authors