Suo - Mires and peat vol. 29 no. 1 | 1978

The material for this study was collected during summer 1974 in Siurua district, near Pudasjärvi, N-Finland (65°30'N/26° 30'E). Sample squares were marked out at regular intervals along the study lines crossing peatlands of different site type. The number of the plants and the berries in each square was then counted. The average weight of the single berries was calculated separately for cloudberry growing in spruce swamps (1,76 g) and for cloudberry in pine and open peatlands (1,30 g). The average weight for cranberry has been calculated using the individual weights of Vaccinium oxycoccos and V. microcarpon (0,756 and 0,293 g respectively) and the average value obtained from the ratio in which they occur in different peatland site types as presented by Ruuhijärvi (1960). The frequency of cloudberry shoots was at its highest in spruce swamps (MrK), in Sphagnum fuscum pine swamps (RR) and in S. fuscum peat banks (S. fuscum-jänne) (Fig. 1). The best yields, about 6—7 kg/ha, were found in the same peat-land site types (Table 1). It is most likely that the beetles and beetle larvae of the Galerucella (Col., Chrysomelidae) had the greatest effect in cutting down the cloudberry yield in Siurua district in 1974. The frequency of occurrence of cranberry shoots was highest in S. fuscum pine swamps, in S. fuscum cotton grass pine swamps (RTR) and in small-sedge bog (LkN) (Fig. 2). The best yields, in turn, were observed in S. fuscum cottongrass pine swamps and in mesotrofic sedge fens (RhSN), being about 40 kg/ha (Table 2). These cranberry yields are much lower than those observed by e.g. Ruuhijärvi (1974). Possible explanations for the difference in the results lie in the methods used and in the large temporal and regional variation in the yields. The total annual cranberry yield in Finland has been estimated at 25—50 mill. kilos and the cloudberry yield at 25—30 mill, kilos. According to the present results the total cranberry yield in nearly 50 mill. kilos and the total cloudberry yield about 5 mill, kilos, which, however, can be at least 3—4 times more in favourable years

• Huttunen, Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo

It is known from earlier studies that many different types of peatland become afforested or naturally reforested fairly rapidly after drainage has been carried out. Peatlands, which initially develop into birch stands are common in the Ostrobothnian drainage areas. The occurrence of under-storey seedlings their species distribution and development potential in such Betula pubescenis stands 15—35 years after drainage are examined in this study. Details of the study material, which consisted of 204 sample plots, are given in Table 1., and the location of the sample plots is shown in Fig. 1. Fifteen circles, each one square meter large, were systematically marked out in each sample plot and the number of seedlings of different tree species growing in the circles subsequently counted. One seedling per circle, which was found to be the best as regards size and development potential, was chosen as the dominant seedling. The tree species, height, age and degree of development potential of the dominant seedlings were all noted. In addition, the ground vegetation in each circle was analyzed. The means for the number of seedlings at each sample plot were calculated in groups according to drainage age, site fertility and geographical area (Table 1). The results show that the ability of a site to produce seedlings has been retained rather well, in places where drainage had even been carried out a long time ago, if the conditions otherwise have been favourable. The number of seedlings capable of development appears, on average, to be satisfactory. The number of coni-feroys seedlings capable of development in sites of the southern part of the studied area in sufficient for the formation of new stand. However, in northern Ostrobothnia, the number, on average, was so small, that a fully stocked seedling stand could only be obtained by resorting to a large admixture of birch seedlings. The variation in the data is large and thus the means give only limited information about the phenomena studied. Table 2 shows the proportion of sample plots where the number of seedlings capable of develop-ment satisfies the accepted minimum requirements. It can be seen that in the southern part of the research area understorey seedling growth capable of development is found in two sites out of three. The reasons for the great differences between the areas did not become apparent in this study.

• Seppälä, Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo
• Keltikangas, Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo

A number of peatland conservation programmes have been drawn up in Finland during the last ten years, to date, however, only those programmes covering state-owned land have been carried through to completion. The total area of peatlands either protected by nature conservation legislation or by decision of the State Board of Forestry is 193 000 ha. Completion of the network of protected areas is especially urgent in the southern parts of the country owing to the rapid increase in the utilization of peatlands for forestry purposes and peat extraction. The working group set up by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has just completed its proposed basic peatland conservation programme. Methodology required in the determination of the conservation value of peatlands has also been developed during the drawing up of this programme. The starting point of conservation is the protection of peatland complexes. An attempt has been made to find sufficient representative peatland complexes, which are still in a natural state, from all the Finnish climatological peatland areas (Fig. 1.). Peatland plant community conservation is being carried out both within the framework of larger peatland areas and peatland complexes and in addition by means of different conservation sites representing rare peatland types. Eutrophic fens and eutrophic spruce and birch swamps are especially threatened. As far as the protection of peatland wild-life is concerned, special attention has been paid to peatland bird-life, which better describes the quality and variety of peatland sites than any other group of fauna. Threatened peatland flora have also been documented. The most important criterion used in the determination of the value of a site in the basic peatland conservation programme, is determination of the representability of the peatland complex in question. Peatland complexes have been classified into three groups on the basis of aerial photography interpretation and other data. Classification based on the abundance of different peatland site types required field work. The occurrence and abundance of 28 different major peatland site types have been examined in the basic programme. Conservation sites have been divided on the basis of their peatland type abundance into four classes. If the area in question includes more than 16 different peatland types, then it belongs to Class I. With 15—11 types it belongs to Class II, with 10—6 to Class III and with 5—1 to Class IV. Corresponding conservation site classification has been carried out on the basis of the relative frequency of 51 species of peatland birds. If over 22 species of bird nest on a peatland it belongs to Class I. The number of bird species in Class II sites varies from 22—15, in Class III sites from 14 to 8 and in Class IV sites from 7 to 1. The above-mentioned three classification systems have finally been combined to form a general classification system for peatland conservation sites. Threatened animal and plant species, educational and research use of the peatland, geological structure and in some cases also scenic value are used as additional bases. The final result is a four-class classification system. 0. Internationally important peatland area, which represents the peatland complex type typical in Finland but rare in other countries. There are at most 1 or 2 such peatlands in each peatland complex type area marked on the map (Fig. 1). 1. A nationally important peatland is a larger and complete peatland complex, which should be preserved as an example of the ecological variation of peatland complexes. The most important bird sanctuaries, threatened peatland types and sites of rare peatland fauna and permanent research areas belong to this category. II. Regionally important peatlands are examples of the local scenery, habitats of regionally threatened plant and animal species or important educational sites. III. Locally important peatlands are usually small conservation sites for peatland complexes or individual peatland types. Their preservation would satisfy the needs of education, nature study, berry picking and the protection of peatland fauna. Only sites belonging to Classes 0 and 1 have been included in the basic peatland conservation programme. 337 of them lie to the south of the Arctic Circle (Fig. 1). The conservation sites have been listed in order of importance for each area. The basic programme covers a total of 290 000 ha of peatland. Of this, 58 000 ha of peatland have earlier been protected. The total area of peatlands in Finland lying below the Arctic Circle has originally been about 6,7 mill. ha. Thus 4,7 % of the total area of peatlands is included in the basic programme, rising to 5 % when peatlands protected at the regional and local level are included. The working group is at present involved with the part of the basic programme which covers Lapland, where relatively large conservation areas (90 000 ha) have earlier been established. Attention is also being paid to the protection of rare peatland types and threatened flora and fauna throughout the country.

• Ruuhijärvi, Sähköposti: ei.tietoa@nn.oo