Assessment of an integrated peat-harvesting and reclamation method: peatland-atmosphere carbon fluxes and vegetation recovery

Wilhelm, Lana P.; Morris, Paul J.; Granath, Gustaf; Waddington, J. M.

doi:10.1007/s11273-014-9399-6

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…The disruption of soil structure and microbial communities resets the ecological clock, thus reducing or eliminating the beneficial effects of time on soil biogeochemical processes (Janzen 2016). Several studies indicate that transplanting intact wetland soil and/or vegetation to wetland restoration or creation sites reduces GHG emissions, compared to common practices noted above (Wilhelm et al 2015;Murray et al 2017;Cagampan and Waddington 2008;Waddington et al 2009). Brown and Bedford (1997) found that transplanting intact blocks of wetland soil results in more successful establishment of wetland species, while reducing the presence of invasive plants during restoration of drained wetlands.…”

Section: Local and Project-level Strategies And Best Management Practmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wetlands In a Changing Climate: Science, Policy and Management

Moomaw

Chmura

Davies³

et al. 2018

Wetlands

285

142

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Part 1 of this review synthesizes recent research on status and climate vulnerability of freshwater and saltwater wetlands, and their contribution to addressing climate change (carbon cycle, adaptation, resilience). Peatlands and vegetated coastal wetlands are among the most carbon rich sinks on the planet sequestering approximately as much carbon as do global forest ecosystems. Estimates of the consequences of rising temperature on current wetland carbon storage and future carbon sequestration potential are summarized. We also demonstrate the need to prevent drying of wetlands and thawing of permafrost by disturbances and rising temperatures to protect wetland carbon stores and climate adaptation/resiliency ecosystem services. Preventing further wetland loss is found to be important in limiting future emissions to meet climate goals, but is seldom considered. In Part 2, the paper explores the policy and management realm from international to national, subnational and local levels to identify strategies and policies reflecting an integrated understanding of both wetland and climate change science. Specific recommendations are made to capture synergies between wetlands and carbon cycle management, adaptation and resiliency to further enable researchers, policy makers and practitioners to protect wetland carbon and climate adaptation/resiliency ecosystem services.

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Section: Local and Project-level Strategies And Best Management Practmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wetlands In a Changing Climate: Science, Policy and Management

Moomaw

Chmura

Davies³

et al. 2018

Wetlands

285

142

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“…Wilhelm et al . ) – on timescales of years to decades. Plant community structure and carbon sequestration in harvested peatlands can sometimes recover spontaneously in the decades that follow intensive harvesting without deliberate restoration efforts (Lavoie et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resilience of peatland ecosystem services over millennial timescales: evidence from a degraded British bog

et al. 2016

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Summary Many peatland ecosystems in Europe have become degraded in the last century owing to the effects of drainage, burning, pollution and climate change. There is a need to understand the drivers of peatland degradation because management and restoration interventions are expensive and can affect the natural ecohydrological dynamics of such sensitive environments. However, if given enough time, peatlands may have the ability to recover spontaneously without deliberate action. We use a detailed multiproxy palaeoecological data set from a degraded raised bog in Northern England to examine its ecosystem stability and long‐term dynamics in response to anthropogenic disturbance over a variety of timescales. One feature of many degraded peatlands (including our study site) is the local dominance of Molinia caerulea (purple moor‐grass), which has expanded at the expense of characteristic peatland plants, including sedges and Sphagnum mosses. Our data show that there has been a long history of human impacts at the site which have culminated in its current unfavourable condition. Several distinct episodes of past peat cutting are evident as hiatuses in peat accumulation; however, peat accumulation and plant community structure have subsequently recovered spontaneously. The appearance of M. caerulea occurs coevally with an unprecedented variety of recent anthropogenic impacts, all of which have contributed to providing a suitable environment for its rise to dominance. We have dated the appearance of M. caerulea to the latter half of the twentieth century which corresponds to a number of anthropogenic press disturbances, including the following: dust loading from post‐war expansion of the adjacent quarry; burning; drainage; airborne pollution; and contamination from soil dust and agrochemicals. [Synthesis] Our study demonstrates the importance of palaeoecology for understanding the trajectories of peatland development and ecosystem dynamics, including their resilience and resistance to pulse and press disturbances. We show that peatlands have the capability to recover spontaneously from severe disturbances such as peat cutting, albeit on timescales much longer than those applied to contemporary monitoring of restoration efforts. The implications are relevant for determining whether it is preferable to manage and restore peatlands, or to allow them to recover naturally without human intervention.

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“…These studies show that the transplanted acrotelm assisted the restoration by keeping the water table and moisture conditions favourable for Sphagnum growth when the acrotelm is replaced immediately or within a few days (Cagampan & Waddingston , ; Wilhelm et al. ). The restoration process on harvested peatland and our natural peatland disturbed by road construction also differs in other features than just storage time.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Restoration of peatland by spontaneous revegetation after road construction

Johansen

Aker

Klanderud

et al. 2017

Applied Vegetation Science

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Questions Spontaneous revegetation from indigenous soil was used as a restoration method for peatlands degraded during road construction in northern Norway. We examined how plant community properties responded to the restoration, and which environmental factors affected the restoration success. Location Restored peatlands along roadsides at E10, mainland connection to the Lofoten islands, northern Norway. Methods The restored area originally consisted of poor to intermediate Sphagnum‐dominated natural peatlands. Restoration consisted of stripping and stockpiling the topmost (30 cm) peat. The peat was stored for 1–2 yr before redistribution, with no further hydrological management. We conducted first time analyses of plant community properties 8 and 9 yr after restoration. We recorded vegetation and environmental variables in 108 plots distributed between 18 transects running from the road edge over the restored area to the undisturbed peatland. Undisturbed peatland was used as target for successful restoration. We used CCA and ANOVA to test the effect of restoration on species composition and richness. Results The ordination showed that species composition still differed significantly between restored and undisturbed plots, indicating incomplete restoration after 8 and 9 yr. Soil moisture, pH, slope and microtopography were the most important environmental factors for species composition. Polytrichum mosses had a high percentage cover in restored (30%) compared to undisturbed control plots (1%). Linear regression showed that peatland species decreased in abundance with increasing depth of Polytrichum cushions. Conclusion The low soil moisture level in the restored areas is most likely limiting the establishment of Sphagnum mosses, considered as key species of the typical peatland environment. Thus, the restoration method studied here must be improved to increase the soil moisture by raising the water table or reducing drainage. This should be done through reducing storage time of the peat before redistribution, and minimizing slopes and heterogeneity of the microtopography of the restored area.

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Assessment of an integrated peat-harvesting and reclamation method: peatland-atmosphere carbon fluxes and vegetation recovery

Cited by 6 publications

References 57 publications

Wetlands In a Changing Climate: Science, Policy and Management

Wetlands In a Changing Climate: Science, Policy and Management

Resilience of peatland ecosystem services over millennial timescales: evidence from a degraded British bog

Restoration of peatland by spontaneous revegetation after road construction

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