While considerable attention has been given to the measurement of mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) concentrations and accumulation in detailed peat cores in central Canada, the geographic distribution and density of sampling are generally limited. Here, we use the Ontario Peatland Inventory to examine broad patterns of Hg and Pb concentration with depth, based on 338 peat cores (containing >1500 analyzed samples) from 127 bogs, fens and swamps located in southeastern, northeastern and northwestern sections of Ontario. Overall, Hg concentrations averaged 0.05 μg g⁻¹ and that of Pb averaged 10.8 μg g⁻¹. Maximum values in the top 50 cm of the profiles are 0.08 μg g⁻¹ and 26.2 μg g⁻¹ for Hg and Pb, respectively. The ratio between these values (surface) and the values from below 100 cm (background), where peat likely accumulated before 1850 and industrial activities were limited, are 2.3 and 6.6 for Hg and Pb, respectively. The highest surface:background concentration ratios are generally found in the westernmost part of the province and in the southeast for Hg and around areas that are more heavily populated for Pb. Our results show that a vast amount of Hg and Pb are stored in Ontarian peatlands, although the spatial distribution of these stores varies. The rapid decomposition of peat in a changing climate could release these pollutants to the atmosphere.

In the Athabasca Oil Sands Region in northeastern Alberta, Canada, oil sands operators are testing the feasibility of peatland construction on the post-mining landscape. In 2009, Syncrude Canada Ltd. began construction of the 52 ha Sandhill Fen pilot watershed, including a 15 ha, hydrologically managed fen peatland built on sand-capped soft oil sands tailings. An integral component of fen reclamation is post-construction monitoring of water quality, including salinity, fluvial carbon, and priority pollutant elements. In this study, the effects of fen reclamation and elevated sulfate levels on mercury (Hg) fate and transport in the constructed system were assessed. Total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in the fen sediment were lower than in two nearby natural fens, which may be due to the higher mineral content of the Sandhill Fen peat mix and/or a loss of Hg through evasion during the peat harvesting, stockpiling and placement processes. Porewater MeHg concentrations in the Sandhill Fen typically did not exceed 1.0 ng L−1. The low MeHg concentrations may be a result of elevated porewater sulfate concentrations (mean 346 mg L−1) and an increase in sulphide concentrations with depth in the peat, which are known to suppress MeHg production. Total Hg and MeHg concentrations increased during a controlled mid-summer flooding event where the water table rose above the ground surface in most of the fen. The Hg dynamics during this event showed that hydrologic fluctuations in this system exacerbate the release of THg and MeHg downstream. In addition, the elevated SO42− concentrations in the peat porewaters may become a problem with respect to downstream MeHg production once the fen is hydrologically connected to a larger wetland network that is currently being constructed.

Fen plant growth in peat contaminated with groundwater discharges of oil sands process water (OSPW) was assessed in a greenhouse over two growing seasons. Three treatments (non-diluted OSPW, diluted OSPW and rainwater) were tested on five vascular plants and four mosses. All vascular plants tested can grow in salinity and naphthenic acids levels currently produced by oil sands activity in northwestern Canada. No stress sign was observed after both seasons. Because of plant characteristics, Carex species (C. atherodes and C. utriculata) and Triglochin maritima would be more useful for rapidly restoring vegetation and creating a new peat-accumulating system. Groundwater discharge of OSPW proved detrimental to mosses under dry conditions and ensuring adequate water levels would be crucial in fen creation following oil sands exploitation. Campylium stellatum would be the best choice to grow in contaminated areas and Bryum pseudotriquetrum might be interesting as it has spontaneously regenerated in all treatments.

Both eutrophication and SO₄ pollution can lead to higher availability of nutrients and potentially toxic compounds in wetlands. To unravel the interaction between the level of eutrophication and toxicity at species and community level, effects of SO₄ were tested in nutrient-poor and nutrient-rich fen mesocosms. Biomass production of aquatic and semi-aquatic macrophytes and colonization of the water layer increased after fertilization, leading to dominance of highly competitive species. SO₄ addition increased alkalinity and sulphide concentrations, leading to decomposition and additional eutrophication. SO₄ pollution and concomitant sulphide production considerably reduced biomass production and colonization, but macrophytes were less vulnerable in fertilized conditions. The experiment shows that competition between species, vegetation succession and terrestrialization are not only influenced by nutrient availability, but also by toxicity, which strongly interacts with the level of eutrophication. This implies that previously neutralized toxicity effects in eutrophied fens may appear after nutrient reduction measures have been taken. Interspecific competition, vegetation succession and terrestrialization in fens depend on the interacting effects of SO₄ pollution, sulphide toxicity and nutrient availability.

Overburden and tailings materials from oil sands production were used as construction materials as part of a novel attempt to create a self-sustaining, peat accumulating fen-upland ecosystem. To evaluate the potential for elemental release from the construction materials, total elemental concentrations in the tailings sand, petroleum coke and peat used to construct a fen ecosystem were determined using microwave-assisted acid digestions and compared to a leaching experiment conducted under environmentally-relevant conditions. A comparison of solid phase to aqueous Na, Ca, S and Mg concentrations showed they were highly leachable in the materials. Given that the concentrations of these elements can affect plant community structure, it is important to understand their leachability and mobility as they migrate between materials used to construct the system. To that end, a mass balance of aqueous Na, Ca, S and Mg was conducted based on leaching experiments and materials analysis coupled with existing data from the constructed system. The data indicate that there is a large pool of leachable Na, Ca, S and Mg in the system, estimated at 27 t of Na, 14 t of Ca, 37.3 t of S and 8.8 t of Mg. Since recharge mainly drives the fen-upland system water regime, and discharge in the fen, evapo-accumulation of these solutes on the surface may occur.

Dutch fens, subjected to high nitrogen (N) deposition levels with reduced N (NHy) highly dominating over oxidised N (NOₓ), have since the second half of the past century seen a significant decline of Scorpidium and other characteristic brown moss species, while several Sphagnum species have increased rapidly. This promotes acidification and the transition from rich to poor fens. In line with the outcomes of previous short-term water culture experiments, we hypothesised that Scorpidium growth is negatively affected by NHy due to ammonium toxicity, but not by NOₓ deposition, and that Sphagnum grows equally well on both N forms. To test this hypothesis under field conditions, we carried out a 4-year N addition experiment (5.0 g N m⁻² year⁻¹, applied either as NO₃ ⁻-N or as NH₄ ⁺-N) on natural mixed Scorpidium revolvens–Sphagnum contortum stands in a rich fen with relatively low background N deposition. After 4 years, ammonium addition had significantly reduced Scorpidium growth, while Sphagnum had not significantly been affected by N additions. Increased ammonium levels were directly toxic to Scorpidium, while Sphagnum was not affected. Furthermore, N addition (in particular nitrate) also indirectly influenced moss growth through promoting vascular plants. Our study confirms that it is ecologically relevant to consider the specific form in which N enrichment occurs, i.e. the ratio of NHy vs. NOₓ. We conclude that in rich fens, the risk of rapid transition of the moss layer to dominance of poor-fen species is strongly promoted by increased deposition of reduced N.

To understand spatial and temporal variations of nitrous oxide (N₂O) fluxes, we chose to measure N₂O emissions from three plant stands (Kobresia tibetica, Carex muliensis, and Eleocharis valleculosa stands) in an open fen on the northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan plateau during the growing seasons from 2005 to 2007. The overall mean N₂O emission rate was about 0.018 ± 0.056 mg N m⁻² h⁻¹ during the growing seasons from 2005 to 2007, with highly spatiotemporal variations. The hummock (K. tibetica stand) emitted N₂O at the highest rate about 0.025 ± 0.051 mg N m⁻² h⁻¹, followed by the hollow stands: the E. valleculosa stand about 0.012 ± 0.046 mg N m⁻² h⁻¹ and the C. muliensis stand about 0.017 ± 0.068 mg N m⁻² h⁻¹. Within each stand, we also noted significant variations of N₂O emission. We also observed the significant seasonal and inter-annual variation of N₂O fluxes during the study period. The highest N₂O emission rate was all recorded in July or August in each year from 2005 to 2007. Compared with the mean value of 2005, we found the drought of 2006 significantly increased N₂O emissions by 104 times in the E. valleculosa stand, 45 times in K. tibetica stand, and 18 times in the C. muliensis stand. Though there was no significant relation between standing water depths and N₂O emissions, we still considered it related to the spatiotemporal dynamics of soil water regime under climate change.

Base cation (Ca, Mg, Na, K) concentrations in surface waters, pore waters and surface peats were determined along a mineral-poor to mineral-rich fen gradient for 15 south-central Ontario peatlands. Surface waters of the peatlands ranged in pH and alkalinity from 4.5 to 6.3 and 0 to 181 μeqL⁻¹, respectively. Both surface water and pore water Ca and Mg concentrations followed the expected decrease along the mineral-rich to poor-fen gradient. Surface water concentrations of Ca and Mg were significantly lower in the mineral-poor versus the moderately-poor and mineral-rich fens (P <0.05, ANOVA). Pore water concentrations of base cations were 3–5 fold less in mineral-poor vs. mineral-rich fens. In contrast to surface and pore waters, peat base cation concentrations did not decrease along the mineral-rich to mineral-poor fen gradient. Surface peat base cation concentrations were also independent of pore water cation concentrations, and local bedrock geology. Relative concentrations of base cations in surface peats of all peatlands were best described by the exchangeable cation capacity of the surrounding soils.

In principle, conventional lysimeters are suitable for the investigation of vertical water and solute fluxes. Lateral fluxes in water-saturated fen sites are characterized by heterogeneities and abnormities due to anisotropic layering. But due to lack of adequate monitoring techniques, these fluxes have been insufficiently analyzed. The newly developed large weighable fen lysimeter (LWFL) overcomes the limitations of conventional lysimetry and enables the measurement of vertical and horizontal transport processes in undisturbed large volume soil monoliths. The LWFL has a volume of 6 m³ (4 m length, 1 m width and 1.5 m depth) and was tested by filling the lysimeter with an undisturbed fen monolith. A special extraction procedure for the horizontal sliding of the lysimeter vessel through the natural fen was developed. In front of the vessel a converted cutting tool assisted in carving the soil monolith out of the peat, both vertically and horizontally. Inlet and outlet of the LWFL was constructed to allow the adjustment of a wide range of hydraulic gradients to depict natural occurring lateral transport processes. The LWFL including the measurement techniques was tested successfully for 3 years. On the basis of these tests, we conclude that complex physical and biogeochemical research problems involving lateral flows can be tackled now with multiphase observations and measurements at high spatial and temporal resolution, transdisciplinary data evaluation and numerical modelling approaches.

Pseudomorphs of barite (BaSO₄) and Cd-rich ZnS after whewellite (CaC₂O₄·H₂O) occur within remnants of Scots pine bark tissues in the peat layer of a poor fen located near a zinc smelter in south Poland. A two-step formation of the pseudomorphs is postulated based on SEM observations: (1) complete dissolution of whewellite, possibly caused by oxalotrophic bacteria, and (2) subsequent bacterially induced precipitation of barite and spheroidal aggregates of ZnS together with galena (PbS) in voids left by the dissolved whewellite crystals. Local increase in pH due to microbial degradation of whewellite, elevated concentrations of Zn(II) and Ba(II) in pore water due to the decomposition of atmospheric particles of sphalerite and barite in the acidic (pH 3.5–3.8) environment, oxidation of S species during drying and rewetting of the peat layer, and subsequent partial reduction of sulfate anions by sulfur-reducing bacteria were all factors likely involved in the crystallization of ZnS and barite in the microenvironment of the post-whewellite voids.