Abstract Palaeoecological analyses of Falkland Island peat profiles have largely been confined to pollen analyses. In order to improve understanding of long-term Falkland Island peat development processes, the plant macrofossil and stable isotope stratigraphy of an 11,550 year Falkland Island Cortaderia pilosa (‘whitegrass’) peat profile was investigated. The peatland developed into an acid, whitegrass peatland via a poor fen stage. Macrofossil charcoal indicate that local fires have frequently occurred throughout the development of the peatland. Raman spectroscopy analyses indicate changes in the intensity of burning which are likely to be related to changes in fuel types, abundance of fine fuels due to reduced evapotranspiration/higher rainfall (under weaker Southern Westerly Winds), peat moisture and human disturbance. Stable isotope and thermogravimetric analyses were used to identify a period of enhanced decomposition of the peat matrices dating from ∼7020 cal yr BP, which possibly reflects increasing strength of the Southern Westerly winds. The application of Raman spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analyses to the Falkland Island peat profile identified changes in fire intensity and decomposition which were not detectable using the techniques of macrofossil charcoal and plant macrofossil analyses.

中文翻译：

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福克兰岛泥炭地开发过程和火的普遍存在

摘要福克兰岛泥炭剖面的古生态分析主要限于花粉分析。为了加深对福克兰岛泥炭长期发育过程的了解，对 11,550 年福克兰岛 Cortaderia pilosa（“白草”）泥炭剖面的植物大化石和稳定同位素地层进行了调查。泥炭地通过贫瘠阶段发展成为酸性白草泥炭地。Macrofossil 木炭表明在泥炭地的整个开发过程中经常发生局部火灾。拉曼光谱分析表明燃烧强度的变化可能与燃料类型的变化、由于蒸发蒸腾减少/降雨量增加（在较弱的南部西风下）、泥炭水分和人为干扰而导致的优质燃料丰富有关。稳定同位素和热重分析用于确定泥炭基质的增强分解时期，该时期可追溯到 7020 cal yr BP，这可能反映了南部西风强度的增加。拉曼光谱和热重分析对福克兰岛泥炭剖面的应用确定了火灾强度和分解的变化，这是使用大型化石木炭和植物大型化石分析技术无法检测到的。