Congreso celebrado del 2-7 mayo 2010, en Viena, Austria.Peatlands have been recognized as an important factor within the global C-cycle, since they store about one-third
of the global terrestrial C-pool. Furthermore, peat deposits have the potential to record detailed paleoclimatic and
– vegetational changes. They are formed in peculiar paleoecosystems where the slow biodegradation of plant
residues depends on a series of pedo-climatic and hydromorphic factors leading to a progressive accumulation
of organic matter stabilized in different evolutionary stages. Thus, its chemical composition should be applicable
as a fingerprint of former prevailing environmental conditions and vegetation configurations. The aim of the
present work was to identify this fingerprint in the cores of two German fens, one derived from the Havelland
close to Berlin (Großer Bolchow) and the other derived from the alpine region of Bavaria (Kendlmühlfilzen) by
investigating the organic matter transformation as a function of peat depths.Peer reviewe
