Summary
Aerobic decomposition increases in drained peatlands; releasing stored organic matter (OM) and shifting greenhouse gas fluxes from sink to source. This study explored how drainage influenced peat OM chemical composition by investigating paired sites from a Sphagnum-dominated ombrotrophic Finnish bog undergoing contrasting hydrological management (natural and drained). Peat OM was investigated in replicate cores using analytical pyrolysis, compared with observed vegetation, elemental analysis (O:C, N:C), stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N), and fraction radiocarbon. Principal component analysis of quantified pyrolysis products separated four primary components: vascular plants vs Sphagnum, aerobic degradation of fresh plant biomass, anaerobic processes in water-saturated depths, and pine vs Erioph
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