An insect derived peat? The curious case of sediments at Bogong moth aestivation sites
The Bogong moth Agrotis infusa (Boisduval) is a migratory noctuid moth from south-eastern Australia which annually migrates thousands of kilometres for a period of aestivation in boulder-piles, caves and crevices on the highest mountain peaks of the Australian Alps. The same aestivation sites are us...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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International Mire Conservation Group and International Peatland Society
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Mires and Peat |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://mires-and-peat.net/media/map28/map28_16.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797756529916510208 |
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| author | Benedict Keaney Alan Wade |
| author_facet | Benedict Keaney Alan Wade |
| author_sort | Benedict Keaney |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Bogong moth Agrotis infusa (Boisduval) is a migratory noctuid moth from south-eastern Australia which annually migrates thousands of kilometres for a period of aestivation in boulder-piles, caves and crevices on the highest mountain peaks of the Australian Alps. The same aestivation sites are used each year, and over time a highly organic deposit made predominately of preserved insect chiton and plant matter has accumulated at many of them. Examples of these sediments were characterised using a range of standard methods to ascertain the organic content, the carbon and nitrogen components, the lipids (oils and waxes) concentration and the acidity of each deposit. The deposits were found to be high in organic matter with a relatively high C:N ratio, low in lipids, and highly acidic. The acidity and amount of organic matter in these deposits are above threshold levels for classification as peat. The high concentration of insect remains, their taphonomic importance and the ecological context warrant the naming of sediments at Bogong moth aestivation sites as “insect derived peat” or “moth peat”. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T18:02:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c4484f0b145f4ba686f8e3857f863da8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1819-754X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T18:02:49Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | International Mire Conservation Group and International Peatland Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Mires and Peat |
| spelling | doaj.art-c4484f0b145f4ba686f8e3857f863da82023-08-02T09:34:48ZengInternational Mire Conservation Group and International Peatland SocietyMires and Peat1819-754X2022-06-0128161810.19189/MaP.2021.OMB.StA.2363An insect derived peat? The curious case of sediments at Bogong moth aestivation sitesBenedict Keaney0Alan Wade1Department of Archaeology and Natural History, College of Asia and the Pacific, ANU, Canberra, AustraliaCanberra Regional Beekeepers, Canberra, AustraliaThe Bogong moth Agrotis infusa (Boisduval) is a migratory noctuid moth from south-eastern Australia which annually migrates thousands of kilometres for a period of aestivation in boulder-piles, caves and crevices on the highest mountain peaks of the Australian Alps. The same aestivation sites are used each year, and over time a highly organic deposit made predominately of preserved insect chiton and plant matter has accumulated at many of them. Examples of these sediments were characterised using a range of standard methods to ascertain the organic content, the carbon and nitrogen components, the lipids (oils and waxes) concentration and the acidity of each deposit. The deposits were found to be high in organic matter with a relatively high C:N ratio, low in lipids, and highly acidic. The acidity and amount of organic matter in these deposits are above threshold levels for classification as peat. The high concentration of insect remains, their taphonomic importance and the ecological context warrant the naming of sediments at Bogong moth aestivation sites as “insect derived peat” or “moth peat”.http://mires-and-peat.net/media/map28/map28_16.pdfagrotis infusaaustralian alpscave peatmoth peat |
| spellingShingle | Benedict Keaney Alan Wade An insect derived peat? The curious case of sediments at Bogong moth aestivation sites Mires and Peat agrotis infusa australian alps cave peat moth peat |
| title | An insect derived peat? The curious case of sediments at Bogong moth aestivation sites |
| title_full | An insect derived peat? The curious case of sediments at Bogong moth aestivation sites |
| title_fullStr | An insect derived peat? The curious case of sediments at Bogong moth aestivation sites |
| title_full_unstemmed | An insect derived peat? The curious case of sediments at Bogong moth aestivation sites |
| title_short | An insect derived peat? The curious case of sediments at Bogong moth aestivation sites |
| title_sort | insect derived peat the curious case of sediments at bogong moth aestivation sites |
| topic | agrotis infusa australian alps cave peat moth peat |
| url | http://mires-and-peat.net/media/map28/map28_16.pdf |
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