Nicola Arndt und Matthias Pohl - Neobiota

The schematic map presented here cannot depict all exceptional mire types or the intermixing of mire
types. Therefore, the principal map should be consulted for details, regarding the distribution of
particular mapping units.
4 Regional mire complex types and mapping units
A comparison of European regional mire complex types depicted in Figure 1 with the mapping units
shown in the Map of the Natural Vegetation of Europe is presented in Table 1 (for the list of mapping
units see BOHN et al. 2000, part 2, Legend). The dominant mire types of the subarctic, the polygonal
and palsa mires, which are represented by one unit each (S13 and S14 respectively), seem to be very
homogenous. Slightly more differentiation exists among the boreal aapa mires. In the vegetation map
we have distinguished two units, namely the western (suboceanic) S15 and the eastern
(subcontinental) S16 ones. In addition, a more or less unbroken transition between the northern and
southern aapa mire complexes can be distinguished. Blanket bogs of extremely humid parts of the
British Islands and part of the Norwegian coast are represented by three mapping units (S5-S7).
Table 1: Relation of mapping units of the Map of Natural Vegetation of Europe to dominant
mire complex types.
Mire complex type Mapping units Number of units
1. Polygonal mires S13 1
2. Palsa mires S14 1
3. Aapa mires S15, S16 2
4. Blanket bogs S 5-7 3
5. Ombrogenous raised bogs S 1-4, S8, S9 6
6. Wooded raised bogs S12 1
7. Montane & submontane raised bogs S10, S11 2
8. Minerotrophic fens S 17-24 8
- swamp mires S 25-26 2
Ombrogenous lowland raised bogs in the southern boreal, hemiboreal and northern temperate
(nemoral) vegetation zones also form a more or less distinct and compact area of occurrence, even
though their morphology and surface patterns differ between the oceanic, subcontinental and continental
parts of Europe: they can be treeless and relatively flat with indistinct surface pattern in the west
but to the he east they can be distinctly domed. Typical surface patterns are developed in concentric
and eccentric kermi raised bogs. A distinct type of raised bog exists on sea terraces in the White Sea
area. All these morphological bog types are represented by six units (S1-S4, S8, S9) in the vegetation
map. On the other hand, wooded raised bogs of continental Europe have just one unit (S12). Montane
and submontane raised bogs are discontinuously spread mostly over the mountain chains and/or their
foothills in central and southeastern Europe. They are of a different morphology, origin, development
and age. Montane raised bogs, partly with dwarf forms of Pinus mugo agg., are all included in unit
S10. Submontane wooded bogs with Pinus rotundata are represented by mapping unit S11.
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