Geographia Polonica (2011) vol. 84, iss. Special Issue Part 2

Contemporary changes in the relief of raised bogs on the example of the Polish Carpathians

Adam Łajczak

Geographia Polonica (2011) vol. 84, iss. Special Issue Part 2, pp. 75-92 | Full text
doi: https://doi.org/GPol.2011.S2.6

The subject of this paper is the problem of anthropogenic changes in the relief of raisedbogs in mountain areas. This problem has not received a great deal of attention in the researchliterature. All peat bogs in the Polish part of the Orawa – Nowy Targ Basin and the BieszczadyMountains were analysed. Special attention was paid to the remnants of peat domes andpost-peat areas and the scarps separating them. This paper is based on an analysis of maps producedover the last 230 years as well as aerial photographs. Field data were also analysed as partof this research. Six phases in the development of scarps were identified. The rate of relief changewas estimated and the role of exposure was assessed. Attention was paid to changes in the reliefof post-peat areas that are occurring because retention ponds and drainage ditches have becomemore shallow due to beaver activity and the results of stream channel regulation. Special attentionwas also paid to the geomorphological aspects of the restoration of post-peat areas.

Keywords: anthropopression, raised bog, peat dome, post-peat area, the Orawa – Nowy Targ Basin, the Bieszczady Mountains, the Carpathian Mountains

Adam Łajczak [alajczak@o2.pl], Institute of Geography Pedagogical University of Krakow Podchorążych 2, 30 -084 Krakow: Poland