Plant Ecologist Maria Mantas will discuss peatland ecology and showcase the rare flora and fauna of this unique vegetation type. Peatlands are a widespread and common wetland type in the boreal regions of the world. However, they are rare in the temperate climate of Montana. What exactly are peatlands? What makes them unique in comparison to other more common wetlands in our area? How do they form and what native plants and animals call this unique vegetation type home? Learn about the ecology of these rare wetlands in a presentation by plant ecologist Maria Mantas.

Maria completed her graduate work on a rare native orchid that grows in fens (a type of peatland) in the Swan Valley. While conducting her research, she learned a great deal about the ecology of peatlands and cataloged many of the flora specific to this vegetation type, including several rare terrestrial orchid species.

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