Nicola Arndt und Matthias Pohl - Neobiota

Attempts to characterize and delimit the specific mire complexes in different geographic and
vegetation regions of the European continent date back to at least the 18th century (see the historical
survey about "Moorforschung" in OVERBECK 1975: 23-45). CAJANDER (1913) promoted the division
of mire complexes according to their regional distribution. He distinguished palsa mires (Hügelmoore
oder Palsamoore), aapa mires (Aaapamoore), Karelian mire complex (Karelischer Moorkomplex) and
raised bogs (Hochmoore) from the north to the south of Finland. There have been many subsequent
attempts to classify and delimit the mire complexe types at a European and regional scales (see
below). However, no author has had the actual knowledge concerning the whole continent at his
disposal. The international project to compile the Map of the Natural Vegetation of Europe (BOHN et
al. 2000/2003) based on a unified methodology provides the first opportunity to correct, refine and
supplement existing views and versions.
2 Previous attempts to classify the mire complex types in Europe
The non-cartographic proposal by CAJANDER (1913) was first presented in a map by AUER (1927).
Shortly afterwards GAMS & RUOFF (1929) published a relatively detailed map of all mire types recognized
in the broader Baltic region, and BÜLOW (1929) presented a map of the distribution of major
raised bog types in Europe. A further important refinement of previous classifications occurred only
after World War II. The well known and precise maps by RUUHIJÄRVI (l960) and EUROLA (1962) for
Finland served as the basis for new proposals for classifying mires covering the whole of Europe or its
regions. While ALETSEE (1967) tried to classify just ombrotrophic bogs, KAC (1948, 1971) produced a
map of the provinces of all mire types, both ombro- and minerotrophic, for the whole continent.
MOORE & BELLAMY (1974) published a very schematic and general map of the spatial distribution of
mire complexes in Europe, and SJÖRS (1982) presented his division of regional mire types in northern
parts of Europe. BOČ & MASING (l979, 1982) simultaneously covered the area of the former USSR.
GOODWILLIE (1980) published maps of mire complex types in the member countries of the European
Council. ZUREK (1984) used new data and mapping results published principally by JURKOVSKAJA
(1980) and tried to correct the map of KAC (op.cit.). Nevertheless, neither of those maps has
adequately expressed the actual situation which pertains in western, central and southern parts of
Europe. New attempts to construct a modern map of the distribution of major regional mire types have
been undertaken by SUCCOW & JESCHKE (1986), LANG (1994), and more recently by JESCHKE, KNAPP
& SUCCOW (2001) and DIERSSEN & DIERSSEN (2001). Important sources of information about the
situation in the former USSR are the vegetation map by GRIBOVA et al. (1987) and the work by
JURKOVSKAJA (1992).
3 Present proposal
The proposal presented here (Figure 1) is based on the map by LANG (1994). That map includes nearly
all the major regional mire complex types for the whole of Europe: it is simple, clear and reflects most
of the previous works. Using the results of the Map of the Natural Vegetation of Europe (BOHN et al.
2000/2003) we have tried to draw the presently recognized limits between the individual mire complex
types. These have been verified by national maps of mire ecosystems in most of the European states.
The main changes concern principally the delimitation and inclusion of polygonal mires in the extreme
N.E. of Europe. Other corrections have been made to the boundaries between the regions of aapa
mires and raised and wooded bog regions in Russia. In the British Islands the area of blanket bog types
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