BOG PINE AND DECIDUOUS TREES CHRONOLOGIES RELATED TO PEAT SEQUENCES STRATIGRAPHY OF THE PODEMSZCZYZNA PEATLAND (SANDOMIERZ BASIN, SOUTHEASTERN POLAND)

The Podemszczyzna peatland (Sandomierz Basin, SE Poland) is a place of peat exploitation for balneological purposes. The thickness of organic sediments (minerogenic peat) reaches 4.0 m, while the beginning of peat accumulation was dated using the radiocarbon method (C-14) at 13,517-13,156 cal BP. During the peat exploitation numerous fragments of subfossil wood (of various species) were excavated and, based on dendrochronological analyzes and C-14 dating (wiggle-matching), two short floating chronologies were elaborated: bog pine chronology (147 years long) and deciduous trees (oak, elm) chronology (139 years long). C-14 dating has shown that the bog pine chronology (ca. 9980-9830 mod. cal BP) is the oldest pine chronology found in the Polish peatlands so far. It was synchronous with the Preboreal decline of fluvial activity and peat formation, whereas dying off of trees was connected with distinct rise of fluvial activity. Floating chronology of deciduous trees is much younger and encompasses time interval of ca. 680-545 cal BP. The trees' encroachment on the peatland was related to the terrestrialization of the depositional fen, recorded in the loss on ignition curve in the form of mineral sediment delivery to the bog, as well as it is marked in the pollen record.

Automated summary

The Podemszczyzna peatland in Poland is known for its thick organic sediments and was found to have the oldest pine chronology in Polish peatlands. Dendrochronological analysis and radiocarbon dating were used to establish two short floating chronologies, one for bog pine and the other for deciduous trees. The study also revealed the relationship between tree encroachment and the terrestrialization of the depositional fen.