Absence of Ce anomaly in the REE patterns of peat moss and peat grass in the Ozegahara peatland

Abstract

The rare earth elements (REEs) of the two major vegetation of the Ozegahara peatland, peat moss (Sphagnum sp.) and peat grass (Carex sp.), were determined. The overall variation of the chondrite-normalized REE patterns was almost identical to that of soil-grown plants except for cerium. Peat moss and peat grass showed no cerium anomaly, while all the soil-grown plants we have surveyed showed negative cerium anomaly. The E_H and pH condition to produce the cerium anomaly was discussed and the peatland was found to be too low in E_H or in pH to the appearance of the cerium anomaly. The E_H-pH condition of the peat water in the Ozegahara peatland seems to be determined largely by FeOOH-Fe²⁺ system.