The influence of climate change on recent peat accumulation patterns of <i>Distichia muscoides</i> cushion bogs in the high‐elevation tropical Andes of Colombia

Abstract

Extensive cushions of Distichia muscoides found at high elevations in the Andes form deep deposits of peat and function as peatland. The location of Distichia peatlands at the highest elevations makes them susceptible to the effects of global change including global warming. Accumulation rates of organic matter are the key function of peatland ecosystems and are highly susceptible to changes in climate. This study used 210 Pb chronologies to infer the recent dynamics of three Distichia muscoides peatlands located above 4000 m in elevation. Chronological markers from dated volcanic eruptions were correlated to the 210 Pb chronologies of Distichia peat and validated the 210 Pb chronologies. Changes in 210 Pb activity with depth indicated rapid accumulation in recent times. Organic matter had a mean accumulation rate of 1400 g m −2 yr −1 during the past 10 years, with values well above the observed regional accumulation rate of 300–400 g m −2 yr −1 . The same pattern was observed in peat accretion rates, with growth rates of 1–2 cm per year during the last 10 years. Cushion plants engineer their own environment, allowing the system to be less susceptible to direct changes in climate. However, the high rates of peat accretion in recent times may be originated from increasing temperatures and excess water from nearby glacier melt. However, glaciers are predicted to disappear during the next 20 years in the northern Andes, reducing water inputs in tropical high‐elevation ecosystems.