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The Geochemistry of Amazonian Peats

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Abstract

The chemical, physical and palaeobotanical composition of peat can be used to infer the history of a peatland and the processes presently operating within it. Here we present new data on the geochemistry of a peat sequence from a lowland palm swamp, Quistococha, in Peruvian Amazonia. We show, through comparison with subfossil pollen data from the same sequence, that changes in the depositional environment cause changes in peat properties including lignin content, C/N ratios, and the abundance of several metal cations, but that these properties are altered by post-depositional processes to a large extent. An upward trend in the top 1.5 m of the sequence in the concentrations of N, K, Ca, Mg and Na probably reflects nutrient uptake and cycling by the standing biomass. Upward trends in Mn and Fe concentrations suggest that limited oxygenation of the peat may occur to a similar depth. Comparison with other published records suggests that such deep biological alteration may be characteristic of tropical forested peats.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank NERC (ref. NE/H011773/1), The Royal Geographical Society with IBG, the Quaternary Research Association, the Open University and the University of Leeds for funding; David Ashley, John Corr and Rachel Gasior for help with sample preparation and analysis; Hugo Vásquez, Julio Irarica, and Ruby Jurczyk, for assistance in the field; Victor Reatagui, Ricardo Farroñay Peramas, Luis Campos Baca, Denis del Castillo Torres, and Angel Salazar Vega of the Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana in Iquitos for their support; Andy Baird, Timothy Baker, Arnoud Boom, Greta Dargie, David Large, and Sheila Palmer for helpful discussions; and three anonymous reviewers for constructive comments which substantially improved the text.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK

    Ian T. Lawson, Thomas J. Kelly & Katherine H. Roucoux

  2. Lancaster Environment Centre, LEC Building, Lancaster University, Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK

    Timothy D. Jones

  3. Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana, Avenida José A. Quiñones km 2.5, Apartado Postal 784, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru

    Euridice N. Honorio Coronado

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  1. Ian T. Lawson
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  5. Katherine H. Roucoux
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Correspondence to Ian T. Lawson.

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Lawson, I.T., Jones, T.D., Kelly, T.J. et al. The Geochemistry of Amazonian Peats. Wetlands 34, 905–915 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-014-0552-z

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