recurrence surface In a peat stratigraphy, the sudden transition from a highly humified peat to a fresh unhumified peat. This change reflects the resumption of wetter conditions and peat growth following a drier period, when heath rather than bog plants colonized the older humified peat. Increasingly, these features of peat stratigraphy are coming to be regarded as important indications of past climate change. Remains of plants characteristic of the hummocks and pools of a growing bog surface are abundant at this transition. See also regeneration complex.

recurrence surface In a peat stratigraphy, the sudden transition from a highly humified peat to a fresh unhumified peat. This change reflects the resumption of wetter conditions and peat growth following a drier period when heath rather than bog plants colonized the older humified peat. Remains of plants characteristic of the hummocks and pools of a growing bog surface are abundant at this transition. See also REGENERATION COMPLEX.