ELEMENT ACCUMULATION IN BRYOPHYTESIN PEATLAND ECOSYSTEMSOF THE KALININGRAD REGION, RUSSIA

The results of studying the accumulation capabilities of mosses in two peatland ecosystems with different levels of disturbance in the Kaliningrad region—on the Bolshoye bog and the Wittgiren peatland—are presented. The study focused on widely distributed species of mosses: Aulacomnium palustre, Polytrichum strictum, Sphagnum centrale, S. cuspidatum, S. fuscum, S. magellanicum, and S. squarrosum, as well as the reference species Pleurozium schreberi. Using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, the content of eight macro- and microelements (Mn, Zn, Ni, Fe, Br, Rb, Sr, and Ca) was determined. Statistically significant differences were found in the concentrations of Mn, Zn, Ni, Br, and Rb in the mosses. A high correlation was observed between iron and calcium, which may indicate a common source of these elements entering the plants. The moss species Aulacomnium palustre and Sphagnum centrale were identified as having accumulation capabilities similar to the reference species Pleurozium schreberi.