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The relationship between glacial geologic processes and peatland distribution in Indiana
Journal article

The relationship between glacial geologic processes and peatland distribution in Indiana

Anthony L. Swinehart and George R. Parker
Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science, Vol.111(1), pp.21-31
2002

Abstract

bogs Cenozoic clastic sediments depositional environment drift glacial environment Histosols Holocene Indiana lacustrine environment Laurentide ice sheet mires moraines Noble County Indiana peat Pleistocene Quaternary Quaternary geology Saginaw Lobe sediments soils spatial distribution United States upper Pleistocene
Peat-filled depressions are not randomly distributed in Indiana. The higher frequency of kettles and peatlands in northern Indiana is attributed to the dynamic processes of glacial retreat rather than potential influences of pre-glacial topography. Ninety percent of Indiana's peatlands occur in the northern moraine and lake region of the state. Within this region, peatlands were significantly more frequent inside the former boundaries of the Saginaw Lobe than peatlands occurring outside of this area. An analysis of peatland distribution and specific glacial drift types in Noble County showed that peatlands were significantly more frequent in mixed till and stratified drift in lineated form associated with collapse of sub-ice tunnels and open ice-walled channels. Four other drift types contained significantly fewer peatlands than expected.

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