Post-pyrogenic dynamics of the vegetation cover of the Barskoe raised bog (Vologda Region, Russia)

Abstract

The study deals with the issues of restoration of peat bogs exposed to the pyrogenic factor. The work was carried out in the Barskoe raised bog, at sites unaffected and directly affected by the ground fire of 2002. A decade later, these sites differed in species composition, phytocoenosis structure, and biomass accumulation rates. Post-pyrogenic changes in the vegetation cover of the raised bog were associated with a slight decrease in species richness, loss of moisture-demanding bog species and an increase of mesophyte’s and xerophyte’s roles, simplification of the mire sites structure towards the loss of complexity, reduction of phytocoenotic diversity, as well as an increase in the dry biomass stocks with a 1.3–1.4-fold decrease in the photosynthetic phytomass and a 6.4–6.7-fold increase in the mortmass. The restoration rate of the mire exposed to pyrogenic transformation can be accelerated by increasing its water table and the prevention of new fires.