Methane and Carbon Dioxide Concentrations in Bogs and Fens--with Special Reference to the Effects of the Botanical Composition of the Peat

1) The relation between concentrations of CH 4 and CO 2 and the botanical and chemical composition of peat is investigated. Peat was sampled from different mires in northern Sweden. The samples were from different depths and had different botanical compositions and degrees of humification. 2) The concentration of CO 2 in the peat water ranged between 0.97 and 6.5 m M, and the concentration of CH 4 , varied between 0.05 and 1.2 mM. 3) Methane concentrations were strongly correlated with depth (r 2 = 0.63), but when the botanical composition and degree of humification were also used in the model, the explained variance (r 2 ) in CH 4 , concentration was 72% and in CO 2 concentration 56%