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Peatland forest management is an important source of human-induced additional nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic carbon loads to surface waters in Finland. Ditch network maintenance (DNM) is typically used to ensure sufficient soil drainage for profitable timber production on peatland sites, but nutrient mobilization, particularly of phosphorus, and suspended sediment loads from ditches can cause harmful ecological effects on the quality of water courses. Various water protection structures have been developed to capture the loads released after treatments and to decrease the management impacts in forestry. Overland flow fields are efficient mechanisms for water purification, but they are rarely used in practice due to difficulties in finding suitable locations. In addition, leaving breaks between cleaned ditch sections is recommended wherever possible, as uncleaned sections decrease flow velocity and enhance sediment deposition from runoff water. To plan the most adequate protection methods in DNM, new GIS-based tools are needed to propose e.g. appropriate locations for water protection structures. We developed a spatial analysis to suggest locations for overland flow fields and uncleaned ditch sections within the catchment of lake Kovesjärvi (Parkano, Western Finland). Airborne lidar data consisting of 5 pulses m−2 enabled detailed terrain analysis and finding strictly specified terrain properties that satisfied the conditions of the water protection structures. Half of the field-reviewed overland flow fields were evaluated as good suggestions by forest management professionals and researchers. The model for uncleaned ditch sections worked well on the relatively flat study area, as 77% of the field-reviewed suggestions were rated good by expert opinions. Overall, the approach was evaluated to be useful in peatland forest management. Model parameters can be modified for various topographies, but more studies are needed prior to wider use of the model.

Arctic and subarctic ecosystems are changing rapidly in species composition and functioning as they warm twice as fast as the global average. It has been suggested that tree-less boreal landscapes may shift abruptly to tree-dominated states as climate warms. Yet, we insufficiently understand the conditions and mechanisms underlying tree establishment in the subarctic and arctic regions to anticipate how climate change may further affect ecosystem structure and functioning. We conducted a field experiment to assess the role of permafrost presence, micro-topography and shrub canopy on tree establishment in almost tree-less subarctic peatlands of northern Finland. We introduced seeds and seedlings of four tree-line species and monitored seedling survival and environmental conditions for six growing seasons. Our results show that once seedlings have emerged, the absence of permafrost can enhance early tree seedling survival, but shrub cover is the most important driver of subsequent tree seedling survival in subarctic peatlands. Tree seedling survival was twice as high under an intact shrub canopy than in open conditions after shrub canopy removal. Under unclipped control conditions, seedling survival was positively associated with dense shrub canopies for half of the tree species studied. These strong positive interactions between shrubs and trees may facilitate the transition from today’s treeless subarctic landscapes towards tree-dominated states. Our results suggest that climate warming may accelerate this vegetation shift as permafrost is lost, and shrubs further expand across the subarctic.

Many wetlands have been drained due to urbanization, agriculture, forestry or other purposes, which has resulted in a loss of their ecosystem services. To protect receiving waters and to achieve services such as flood control and storm water quality mitigation, new wetlands are created in urbanized areas. However, our knowledge of greenhouse gas exchange in newly created wetlands in urban areas is currently limited. In this paper we present measurements carried out at a created urban wetland in Southern Finland in the boreal climate. We conducted measurements of ecosystem CO2 flux and CH4 flux (FCH4) at the created storm water wetland Gateway in Nummela, Vihti, Southern Finland, using the eddy covariance (EC) technique. The measurements were commenced the fourth year after construction and lasted for 1 full year and two subsequent growing seasons. Besides ecosystem-scale fluxes measured by the EC tower, the diffusive CO2 and CH4 fluxes from the open-water areas (FwCO2 and FwCH4, respectively) were modelled based on measurements of CO2 and CH4 concentration in the water. Fluxes from the vegetated areas were estimated by applying a simple mixing model using the above-mentioned fluxes and the footprint-weighted fractional area. The half-hourly footprint-weighted contribution of diffusive fluxes from open water ranged from 0 % to 25.5 % in 2013. The annual net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of the studied wetland was 8.0 g C-CO2 m−2 yr−1, with the 95 % confidence interval between −18.9 and 34.9 g C-CO2 m−2 yr−1, and FCH4 was 3.9 g C-CH4 m−2 yr−1, with the 95 % confidence interval between 3.75 and 4.07 g C-CH4 m−2 yr−1. The ecosystem sequestered CO2 during summer months (June–August), while the rest of the year it was a CO2 source. CH4 displayed strong seasonal dynamics, higher in summer and lower in winter, with a sporadic emission episode in the end of May 2013. Both CH4 and CO2 fluxes, especially those obtained from vegetated areas, exhibited strong diurnal cycles during summer with synchronized peaks around noon. The annual FwCO2 was 297.5 g C-CO2 m−2 yr−1 and FwCH4 was 1.73 g C-CH4 m−2 yr−1. The peak diffusive CH4 flux was 137.6 nmol C-CH4 m−2 s−1, which was synchronized with the FCH4. Overall, during the monitored time period, the established storm water wetland had a climate-warming effect with 0.263 kg CO2-eq m−2 yr−1 of which 89 % was contributed by CH4. The radiative forcing of the open-water areas exceeded that of the vegetation areas (1.194 and 0.111 kg CO2-eq m−2 yr−1, respectively), which implies that, when considering solely the climate impact of a created wetland over a 100-year horizon, it would be more beneficial to design and establish wetlands with large patches of emergent vegetation and to limit the areas of open water to the minimum necessitated by other desired ecosystem services.

Drained peatlands are a large emission source and a shift to paludiculture (rewetting and cultivation of wet-tolerant plants) is emerging as a potential emission reduction measure. Paludiculture can potentially results in emission savings from direct emissions, product substitution and carbon storage, but the whole life cycle climate impacts are rarely studied. In this study, we evaluated two paludiculture product systems (cattail (Typha) construction board and common reed (Phragmites) horticultural vermicompost) with cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA) applied global sensitivity analysis to identify, which parts of the product system would need more research and product development to ensure net emission savings. Based on the results, both product systems result in much lower emissions than current agricultural land use and may be net greenhouse gas sinks (average − 6.0 tCO2eq ha−1 for cattail board; −3.0 tCO2eq ha−1 for reed growing media). The uncertainty in the product life cycle is concentrated to a few key processes: the direct CO2 and CH4 emissions from paludiculture, construction board additives, and CH4 emissions from vermicomposting reed. Further research to these would minimize the uncertainty and help in maximizing the climate mitigation potential of paludiculture derived products. Highlights • Paludiculture reduces emissions from agricultural peatlands. • Paludiculture products can store carbon and substitute emission intensive products. • Benefits can be increased by identifying high emission process stages in production. • Life cycle assessment can help in guiding process development.

Water table conditions in drained peatlands affect peat decomposition, fluvial carbon and greenhouse gas emissions, and plant growth in oil palm plantations. This study illustrates the spatial heterogeneity of soil moisture profiles in cultivated tropical peat under oil palm plantation and uncultivated secondary forest, using maps. At a study plot under each land use the geographical coordinates of sampling points, tree locations and other features were recorded. Peat soil samples were taken at depths of 0–50 cm, 50–100 cm, 100–150 cm and 150–200 cm, and their moisture contents were determined. Overall, soil moisture content was higher in secondary forest than in oil palm plantation due to land management activities such as drainage and peat compaction in the latter. Significant differences were observed between the topsoil (0–50 cm) and deeper soil layers under both land uses. Soil moisture maps of the study plots interpolated using geographical information system (GIS) software were used to visualise the spatial distributions of moisture content in soil layers at different depths (0–50 cm, 50–100 cm, 100–150 cm, 150–200 cm). Moisture content in the 0–50 cm soil layer appeared to be inversely related to elevation, but the correlation was not statistically significant. On the other hand, there was a significant positive correlation between soil moisture content and the diameters of oil palm trunks. Palm trees with negative growth of trunk diameter were mostly located in subplots which were relatively dry and/or located near drains. The results of this study indicate that soil moisture mapping using GIS could be a useful tool in improving the management of peatland to promote oil palm growth.

Swamp forests on deep tropical peatlands have undergone extensive deforestation and draining for agriculture and plantations, consequently becoming globally significant carbon (C) sources. To study the effects of land-use change on peat as a biological environment, which directly affects decomposition dynamics and greenhouse gas emissions, we sampled peat from four common land-use types representing different management intensities in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. The near-pristine swamp forest was used to describe unmanaged conditions, and the three other sites in order of increasing management intensity were reforested; degraded; and agricultural. We examined peat substrate quality (total C & nitrogen (N), dissolved organic C (DOC) and N (DON)), organic matter quality characterized by infrared spectroscopy, and microbial biomass and extracellular enzyme activity, to describe both biotic and abiotic conditions in peat. We found that the peat at altered sites was poorer in quality, i.e. decomposability, as demonstrated by the higher intensity of aromatic and aliphatic compounds, and lower intensity of polysaccharides, and concentration of total N, DOC, and DON compared to the peat in the swamp forest. The observed differences in peat properties can be linked to changes in litter input and decomposition conditions altered after deforestation and draining, as well as increased leaching and fires. The quality of the peat substrate was directly related to its biotic properties, with altered sites generally having lower microbial biomass and enzyme activity. However, irrespective of management intensity or substrate quality, enzyme activity was limited primarily to the first 0–3 cm of the peat profile. Some differences between wet and dry seasons were observed in enzyme activity especially in swamp forest, where the most measured enzyme activities were higher in dry season. Reforestation 6 years before our measurements had not yet restored enzyme activity in the peat to the level of the swamp forest, although the topmost peat characteristics in the reforested site already resembled those in the swamp forest. This is likely contributed by the limited capacity of the young tree stand to produce litter to support peat formation and restore the quality and structure of the peat, and the chemical weed control performed at the site. Therefore, we conclude that intensive land management, including deforestation and draining, leads to the surface peat becoming poorer biological environment, and it may take long time to restore the peat properties.

The first International Peat Congress (IPC) held in the tropics – in Kuching (Malaysia) – brought together over 1000 international peatland scientists and industrial partners from across the world (“International Peat Congress with over 1000 participants!,” 2016). The congress covered all aspects of peatland ecosystems and their management, with a strong focus on the environmental, societal and economic challenges associated with contemporary large-scale agricultural conversion of tropical peat.

Agricultural and other land uses on ombrotrophic lowland tropical peat swamps typically lead to reduced vegetation biomass and water table drawdown. We review what is known about greenhouse gas (GHG) dynamics in natural and degraded tropical peat systems in south-east Asia, and on this basis consider what can be expected in terms of GHG dynamics under restored conditions. Only limited in situ data are available on the effects of restoration and the consequences for peat carbon (C) dynamics. Hydrological restoration seeks to bring the water table closer to the peat surface and thus re-create near-natural water table conditions, in order to reduce wildfire risk and associated fire impacts on the peat C store, as well as to reduce aerobic peat decomposition rates. However, zero emissions are unlikely to be achieved due to the notable potential for carbon dioxide (CO2) production from anaerobic peat decomposition processes. Increased vegetation cover (ideally woody plants) resulting from restoration will increase shading and reduce peat surface temperatures, and this may in turn reduce aerobic decomposition rates. An increase in litter deposition rate will compensate for C losses by peat decomposition but also increase the supply of labile C, which may prime decomposition, especially in peat enriched with recalcitrant substrates. The response of tropical peatland GHG emissions to peatland restoration will also vary according to previous land use and land use intensity.