Kuhry, Peter (2008): Vegetation cover and radiocarbon dates of palsa and peat plateaus in the Hudson Bay Lowlands [dataset publication series]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.812224, Supplement to: Kuhry, P (2008): Palsa and peat plateau development in the Hudson Bay Lowlands, Canada: timing, pathways and causes. Boreas, 37(2), 316-327, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1502-3885.2007.00022.x
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Abstract:
The Holocene development of a treed palsa bog and a peat plateau bog, located near the railroad to Churchill in the Hudson Bay Lowlands of northeastern Manitoba, was traced using peat macrofossil and radiocarbon analyses. Both sites first developed as wet rich fens through paludification of forested uplands around 6800 cal. yr BP. Results show a 20th-century age for the palsa formation and repeated periods of permafrost aggradation and collapse at the peat plateau site during the late Holocene. This timing of permafrost dynamics corroborates well with that inferred from previous studies on other permafrost peatlands in the same region. The developmental history of the palsa and peat plateau bogs is similar to that of adjacent permafrost-free fens, except for the specific frost heave and collapse features associated with permafrost dynamics. Permafrost aggradation and degradation is ascribed to regional climatic, local autogenic and other factors. Particularly the very recent palsa development can be assessed in terms of climatic changes as inferred from meteorological data and surface hydrological changes related to construction of the railroad. The results indicate that cold years with limited snowfall as well as altered drainage patterns associated with infrastructure development may have contributed to the recent palsa formation.
Project(s):
Coverage:
Median Latitude: 57.625500 * Median Longitude: -94.180000 * South-bound Latitude: 57.355000 * West-bound Longitude: -94.188000 * North-bound Latitude: 57.896000 * East-bound Longitude: -94.172000
Comment:
Data extracted in the frame of a joint ICSTI/PANGAEA IPY effort, see http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.150150
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC-BY-3.0)
Size:
2 datasets
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Datasets listed in this publication series
- Kuhry, P (2008): (Table 2) Radiocarbon dates of palsa and peat plateaus near the Herchmer and McClintock sites, Hudson Bay Lowlands. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.812223
- Kuhry, P (2008): (Table 1) Vegetation coverage of palsa and peat plateaus near the Herchmer and McClintock sites, Hudson Bay Lowlands. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.812222