Abstract
In this paper, we present high-resolution, contiguous plant macrofossil records taken from two glacial cirque mountain wetland ecosystems located in the subalpine zone of the Eastern Carpathians. We provide 1) a detailed reconstruction of plant succession from mountain peatland ecosystems; 2) a possible scenario of Holocene paleohydrological changes; 3) the presence of rare plants presently considered glacial relicts, e.g. Meesia triquetra; and 4) the peat forming potential of certain plants at altitudes above 1800 m a.s.l. At Gărgălău, a gradual decrease of water level and isolation from ground water influence approximately 7000 cal yr BP trigged the colonization of minerotrophic Sphagnum species (S. teres, S. centrale and S. subsecundum). The decline of Sphagnum subsecundum ca. 3000 cal yr BP was most likely caused by an increase of water level and competiton with Sarmentypnum sarmentosum populations. In the Late Holocene, ca. 2000 cal yr BP, Selaginella selaginoides expansion was recorded, followed by the reappearance of Sphagnum populations, most likely due to a lowering of the water table. The Gropile ecosystem transformed from a shallow lake into peatland at ca. 4200 cal yr BP. The temporary presence of Warnstorfia exannulata in peat sediments ca. 2300, 1600, 1300–1200, and 700–600 cal yr BP may indicate an increase of water level and very wet habitat, or the presence of small ponds. Paleohydrological changes only partly agree at both studied wetlands, suggesting the importance of local climatic and morphological conditions on past vegetation development. According to our paleoecological data, Straminergon stramineum indicates wet stages in peatlands and cannot be considered a high peat-forming species in subalpine zones in European mountain ranges. Projected warm and dry conditions may trigger mountain peatland water tables in Eastern Carpathians to decline, potentially resulting in the expansion of moss species that demand more acidic and drier habitats, e.g. Sphagnum russowii.
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Claims 10
Claim · model-written summary
Minerotrophic Sphagnum colonized Gărgălău after water levels fell around 7000 cal yr BP.
SphagnumOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“At Gărgălău, a gradual decrease of water level and isolation from ground water influence approximately 7000 cal yr BP trigged the colonization of minerotrophic Sphagnum species (S. teres, S. centrale and S. subsecundum)”
Claim · model-written summary
Sphagnum subsecundum declined around 3000 cal yr BP.
- Taxon
- Sphagnum subsecundum
Sphagnum subsecundume0 - Outcome
- declinee0
- Direction
- declinee0
- Value
- 3000 cal yr BPe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The decline of Sphagnum subsecundum ca. 3000 cal yr BP”
Claim · model-written summary
Selaginella selaginoides expanded around 2000 cal yr BP.
- Taxon
- Selaginella selaginoides
.jpg?width=60)
Selaginella selaginoidese0 - Outcome
- expansione0
- Value
- 2000 cal yr BPe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“ca. 2000 cal yr BP, Selaginella selaginoides expansion was recorded”
Claim · model-written summary
Sphagnum populations subsequently reappeared.
- Outcome
- reappearancee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“followed by the reappearance of Sphagnum populations”
Claim · model-written summary
Gropile changed from shallow lake to peatland around 4200 cal yr BP.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“The Gropile ecosystem transformed from a shallow lake into peatland at ca. 4200 cal yr BP”
Claim · model-written summary
Warnstorfia exannulata occurred temporarily at four Holocene intervals.
- Taxon
- Warnstorfia exannulata
_4630.JPG?width=60)
Sarmentypnum exannulatume0 - Outcome
- temporary presencee0
- Value
- 2300, 1600, 1300–1200, and 700–600 cal yr BPe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
_4630.JPG?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“The temporary presence of Warnstorfia exannulata in peat sediments ca. 2300, 1600, 1300–1200, and 700–600 cal yr BP”
Claim · model-written summary
Hydrological changes agreed only partly across the two wetlands.
- Outcome
- Paleohydrological changes only partly agreee0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Paleohydrological changes only partly agree at both studied wetlands”
Claim · model-written summary
Straminergon stramineum indicates wet peatland stages.
- Taxon
- Straminergon stramineum
_4551.JPG?width=60)
Straminergon stramineume0 - Outcome
- wet stages in peatlandse0
- Setting
- peatlandse0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
_4551.JPG?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“Straminergon stramineum indicates wet stages in peatlands”
Claim · model-written summary
Straminergon stramineum is not a high peat-forming species in subalpine zones.
- Taxon
- Straminergon stramineumStraminergon stramineume0
- Outcome
- cannot be considered a high peat-forming speciese0
- Setting
- subalpine zones in European mountain rangese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Straminergon stramineum indicates wet stages in peatlands and cannot be considered a high peat-forming species in subalpine zones in European mountain ranges”
Claim · model-written summary
Projected warming and drying may expand mosses adapted to acidic, drier habitat.
- Taxon
- Sphagnum russowii
Sphagnum russowiie0 - Outcome
- expansion of moss speciese0
- Direction
- expansione0
- Setting
- Eastern Carpathianse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Projected warm and dry conditions may trigger mountain peatland water tables in Eastern Carpathians to decline, potentially resulting in the expansion of moss species that demand more acidic and drier habitats, e.g. Sphagnum russowii”