Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 81 (4): 455-468, 2008
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Floristic and hydrological characterization of Chiloé Island peatlands, Chile
Peatlands are globally known as major deposits of fresh water and carbon, affecting the
planet’s weather and local hydrology; for bearing unique plant and animal species, contributing to biodiversity; and because they
represent a major economic resource to humanity. Peatlands are dominated by plants forming dense populations, especially
Sphagnum moss and vascular plants belonging to the Cyperaceae and Juncaceae. They present high water table levels
and a deep organic matter layer (peat) below the living layer of plants. The use of fire and logging to clear forests in poor drainage soils
have generated a kind of ecosystem similar to peatlands, dominated by Sphagnum moss, where peat accumulation is
very low or absent (anthropogenic peatlands or “pomponales”). Compared with natural peatlands, they share the presence of
Sphagnum, but they are very different in the use human beings give to them. While natural peatlands are used for peat
extraction, anthropogenic peatlands are harvested for the superficial layer of living moss. The ecological consequences after both
extractive activities are also different. The aim of this work is to compare the floristic composition and water table levels between
natural and anthropogenic peatlands. We sampled natural and anthropogenic peatlands with and without Sphagnum
extraction. We registered 74 taxa (eight lichens, 19 bryophytes and 47 vascular plants). Differences in floristic composition allow
us to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic peatlands. Water table levels also differ between study sites, being less
superficial in natural and anthropogenic peatlands without moss extraction. The hydrological alterations after peatland exploitation
would bring serious ecological consequences to Chiloé island, since its only source of water comes from rainfall and is stored in these
large reservoirs called peatlands.
Key words:
Sphagnum, peatlands, anthropogenic peatlands, diversity, water table
