%0 Research Notes
%T Methods for studying below-ground production in mire ecosystems
%A Wallén, Bo
%D 1992
%J Suo - Mires and peat
%V 43
%N 4-5
%U http://suo.fi/article/9698
%X Difficulties in separating fine roots from a purely organic matrix preclude the use of traditional root-harvesting techniques when studying the below-ground production of the field layer species in mires. Also methods based on different types of installations, such as ingrowth chambers or rhizotrons, cause a significant disturbance of the root environment. Indirect techniques using isotope-labelling avoid many of these problems and are the most suited for studying below-ground processes in peatlands. A technique based on translocation of 14C to the peat through the fine roots is demonstrated to evaluate the vascular plant biomass distribution in hummocks of a subarctic and a boreonemoral peat bog respectively. The technique fails to distinguish between structural and labile carbon and overestimates therefore the fine root biomass, but is useful for comparative purposes. It is shown that different mire plants have species-specific below-ground distributions, and that a proportionately greater share of carbon is allocated to fine roots in subarctic conditions.

Keywords: Andromeda, Calluna, Empetrum, Eriophorum,root biomass, Rubus,translocation