Naturalist Lecture Series - Online Classroom

Ecology and Diversity of Washington's Ancient Wetlands—Bogs and Fens. 

Peatlands are wetlands with a substrate comprised of decaying organic material (peat) which accumulates due to saturated and/or anoxic soil conditions. Washington State’s climatic, geologic, topographic, and biogeographic diversity has led to the development of a large array of peatland types, ranging from purely rain-fed, acidic bogs to groundwater-supported, alkaline calcareous fens. Abiotic factors such as water source, elevation, pH, mineral concentration, landscape position, and natural and anthropogenic disturbances influence the biotic composition, vegetation structure, ecosystem processes, and geographic location of these peatlands. Understanding this variation is necessary to account for the full suite of peatland biodiversity and ecosystem processes on the landscape.  Washington’s peatlands will be discussed within the context of the U.S. National Vegetation Classification and NatureServe’s approach to assessing ecosystem imperilment. These critical sources of information—peatland classification, imperilment status, and locations—provide a systematic framework for communicating biodiversity values, carbon sequestration, distribution patterns, threats, and conservation and management needs of Washington’s ancient wetlands. The presentation will also review how this information is used to guide peatland protection and conservation across the state.

A Zoom Link will be sent out the day before:

7:00 PM on Wednesday 11 March, Zoom will open at 6:45 PM<