Organic matter reserves and decomposition rates in the boggy soils under spruce forests of the central forest state biospheric reserve

Boggy soils occupy 23% of the Southern Forestry in the Central Forest State Biospheric Reserve but contain 44% of the total carbon stock in this territory, with 75-90% of the carbon accumulated in the organic horizons. Soil bogging reduces the rate of peat decomposition, which results in nutrient accumulation in the organic horizons. Under laboratory conditions, the rate of decomposition (mineralization) of peat horizons was significantly lower than that of organic horizons taken from nonswamped soils. At the same time, the rates of mineralization of straw added to peat and organic horizons were relatively similar. These data and results of field experiments on the decomposition of needle fall suggest that potential biological activity in the boggy soils is rather high, in spite of the low actual decomposition rate in the peat layers.