%0 Research Notes %T Mineral element contents of Carex peat soils and Timothy grass (Phleum pratense) in Finland %A Soini, Sylvi %D 1985 %J Suo - Mires and peat %V 36 %N 1 %U http://suo.fi/article/9598 %X The lay crop production of Carex peat soils in northern Finland seem to have decreased during the last ten years. The same is not true for southern Finland or any other soil type. The data from 2000 soil and Timothy grass samples, collected by Finnish Academy (1974), has been reworked in order to establish any differences between southern and northern Finland. The data consists of easily soluble contents of Ca, K, P, Mg, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mo, Na, Ni, Cr, Sr, Al and Pb. There was a clear increase in the content of many mineral elements towards the north in moraine and coarser fine sand and especially in Timothy grass contents. In contrast, 2/3 of the mineral element contents in Carex peat soils decreased northwards even though contents in Timothy grass increased. Timothy grass seems able to take up more mineral elements when growing in the long days of northern latitudes than in short days of the south. This effect is most marked in the case of Carex peat soils. Mineral element availability in Carex peat soils in North Finland therefore deserves further research.