A toolkit for field identification and ecohydrological interpretation of peatland deposits in Germany

Successful peatland restoration requires a knowledge of peatland stratigraphy in order to understand the hydrological and ecological conditions under which peat formation occurred and to identify realistic objectives and measures for the specific site. So far, the ability to accurately identify peat deposits and lake sediments has been largely restricted to experts. To facilitate identification by others, we provide an identification key for common peatland deposits in Germany and introduce standardised portraits of 17 peat and six gyttja types with extensive descriptions and supporting photographs. We also provide information on the indicative value of the peatland deposits in terms of site conditions at the time of deposition.