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The installation of drainage ditches and removal of vegetation in preparation for vacuum harvesting alters the carbon dynamics of peatlands. However, we lack the measurements to understand the spatial distribution and environmental and substrate quality controls of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions, as well as how these factors change over the 20–30 year extraction period. For three summers, we measured CO2 and CH4 emissions using the closed chamber method at three actively extracted peatlands near Drayton Valley, Alberta, ranging from 2 to 28 years since the start of extraction. Measurements were made in the ditches, and on segments of peat (fields) between adjacent ditches. Field emissions did not change with distance from ditches, likely due to the observed homogeneity of volumetric water content (VWC) and temperature across the fields. Understanding carbon dynamics in the ditches will be important, as they emitted on average two and 10 times, respectively, the amount of CO2 and CH4 per square meter of the fields. We found moderate to weak relationships between carbon emissions and soil temperature, VWC and ditch water level, though ditch emissions were significantly reduced when there was standing water present. Altering conventional site management, such as increasing ditch spacing, could substantially reduce CH4 emissions from the managed area. Emissions did not decrease with time since start of extraction. We suggest that Canadian emission factor calculations for land‐based emissions consider both peat quality variations among sites, and a site's extraction duration, which has been important in other studies. Plain Language Summary: Peat extraction for use in horticulture growing media contributes to peatland disturbance in Canada. In preparation for extraction, drainage ditches are dug to dry out the surface peat, and the vegetation is removed. These actions shift these sites from net stores of carbon, to net emitters, including the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), two powerful greenhouse gases. Few studies have quantified carbon emissions during the extraction period. To address this, we measured CO2 and CH4 emissions from actively extracted sites in Alberta, Canada for three summers, focusing on the spatial distribution and environmental controls of the emissions. We found that the drainage ditches were hotspots of emissions, emitting two and 10 times, respectively, the amount of CO2 and CH4 per meter squared of the non‐ditch portion of the site. We also found that emissions from the peat fields did not change with distance from the drainage ditches. More research is needed to better understand these water‐carbon interactions. Our work can support management practices that reduce these carbon emissions to help create a more sustainable industry. For example, we found that reducing the number of drainage ditches at a site could substantially reduce total methane emissions. Key Points: Drainage ditches emitted on average two and 10 times the amount of carbon dioxide and methane per square meter compared to the fieldsIncreasing drainage ditch spacing should be considered as a management strategy to substantially reduce CH4 emissionsLimited spatial variability in field carbon emissions, with no observed change with distance from the drainage ditches [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When extracting peat for horticultural use, drainage ditches are prepared, a peatland's vegetation is removed, and peat is harvested. These land-use changes dramatically alter the carbon, water, and energy exchanges of the peatland and convert it from a moderate sink to a large source of CO2. We adapted the CoupModel to simulate the soil CO2 emission and its associated abiotic drivers for an ongoing horticultural peat extraction site, located in Riviére-du-loup (RdL), Quebec Canada. The model outputs were first evaluated against three years (2019–2021) of manual chamber measurements of CO2 flux, and soil moisture, soil temperature profiles, and water table depth data. The model was then used to assess the sensitivity of key parameters and changes in climate forcing. CoupModel reproduced the measured soil moisture and temperature profile and showed high agreement with the water table depth and soil CO2 emissions data. Sensitivity analysis showed the importance of soil moisture availability at the soil surface on soil thermal and hydrological conditions, thus soil respiration. The simulated CO2 emission over the three evaluation years was about 168 and 151 g C m−2 y−1 when extended with seven-year of climate data. Emission factors of CO2 generated by CoupModel are lower than the default IPCC Tier 1 emission factor for peatland managed for horticultural extractions in temperate/boreal climate. Results from this modeling work can be used for IPCC Tier 3 emission reporting for the horticultural peat extraction industry, addressing land-use change issues of peatlands, and suggesting climate-smart management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Paris Climate Change Agreement and the European Union (EU) Green Deal transitional assistance policy use the Just Transition (JT) process to support the business sectors most affected by actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The purpose of JT is to ensure social and economic justice in the implementation of climate change mitigation policy. The EU countries that have utilised significant amounts of energy peat, such as Finland and Ireland, will potentially seek JT support for the peat industry. We studied the attitudes of Finnish peat entrepreneurs towards JT by investigating the forms of support they would prefer during the green transition. The data were descriptive, collected by questionnaire, and analysed using Spearman’s correlation coefficients. The results show that the preference of entrepreneurs is for direct financial support. Our analyses also suggest that low education level, high age and negative attitude towards the current energy policy can reduce the ability of entrepreneurs to adapt to the current climate change policy. We propose that support should be targeted especially at older entrepreneurs lacking higher-level education, who could be at high risk of being left out of the JT process.

Restoration of the bog known as the Leegmoor was accompanied by multiple challenging factors such as lack of a white peat layer, strong water table fluctuations and inhibited lateral water movement. The project started in 1983 and was supported by scientific monitoring. Now, almost 40 years later, the monitoring has been repeated to gauge success. As part of this initiative we investigated nutrient dynamics by monitoring soil and water chemistry (NH4+, NO3-, PO43-, pH, Nt, Pt) and soil water content in 2019–2020 and comparing our results with data from the 1980s and 1990s. Soil water content had increased significantly. Soil NO3--N content had decreased significantly and was mostly below the detection limit, while pH and NH4+-N had not changed. Pore water PO43--P concentrations remained above those observed in near-natural bogs, while nutrients (except NH4+-N) in the surface water had decreased to levels observed in near-natural bogs. Most of the observed nutrients had decreased, some to near-natural levels, although the Leegmoor continued to receive an atmospheric supply of nutrients from adjacent agricultural areas. Our results indicate translocation of nutrients into the vegetation, which has developed substantially, but this process can be expected to end at some point.

European Union and national carbon neutrality targets entail the release of hundreds of hectares of cutaway peatlands annually from energy peat extraction in Finland, creating opportunities to reclaim them as reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) summer pastures and support an important local traditional livelihood hampered by intensive land use. To our knowledge, this is the first study to test whether reindeer summer pastures can be reclaimed. In 2017, we established a field experiment to investigate whether machinery transplanting of native plant species and sowing of seed mixtures promoted the establishment of forage plants preferred by reindeer. The transplanted species were Eriophorum vaginatum, Equisetum fluviatile, and Menyanthes trifoliata. Two tested seed mixtures contained different varieties of Phleum pratense which were surveyed. Plant cover and biomass growth, and growth‐influencing factors like peat properties and water level, were surveyed during 2018–2020. Eriophorum vaginatum tolerated transplanting well, doubling its cover during the study. Equisetum fluviatile was slower to establish. Mechanical transplanting of M. trifoliata failed; manual planting was promising. Sowing seed mixtures provided forage more quickly, generating larger cover than the transplanted natural plants. However, transplanting and sowing face problems. Transplanting is expensive and technically demanding, and removing plants from their growing sites may harm the surrounding vegetation. Meanwhile, the required regular maintenance of P. pratense is costly. Although the short monitoring period limits conclusions, our results suggest that a suitable combination of transplanting, sowing, and natural succession may be a solution for reclaiming former reindeer summer pastures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article a concept is presented for replacing the tractors that haul machinery during necessary operations on peat fields with centrally controlled unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). The objective is to reduce operational costs in terms of human labour, fuel consumption and the associated CO2 emissions. A robotic system architecture for the example of milled peat extraction has been developed and assessed on the basis of comparative analysis. Depending on the area of the extraction surface, the number of UGVs and the method of extraction, the fuel consumption and labour requirement for one season were determined using a combination of data from production records compiled by peat companies and field measurements using the UGV under assessment. It is demonstrated that utilising currently available robotic technology for milled peat extraction by either the Haku method or the ‘vacuum harvester’ method can reduce production-related labour requirement by 34–43 % and fuel consumption by 21–26 % with a corresponding reduction of CO2 emissions. Future advances in UGV technology will increase the advantages of robotic technology by reducing the requirements for human intervention as well as by using green energy in fully electric UGVs.

The paper is devoted to the urgent problem of sustainable and economically secure development of enterprises in the Tver Region peat-extracting sector of the economy. Despite the fact that peat deposits are widespread in many regions of Russia, the efficiency of their industrial and economic use is extremely low. The purpose of the study was to determine the features of the assessment and analysis of the economic security of an enterprise that develops peat deposits. The paper examines the relationship between the concepts of “peat rent” and “economic security”, and also provides the author’s interpretation of their content and essence. An analysis of the existing approaches to assessing the economic security of peat extracting enterprises was carried out, and the use of the rent approach was substantiated based on the data on the peat industry enterprises used in this study. The indicators for assessing the economic security of a peat production were identified. The authors proposed a methodological approach, a feature of which was comprehensive accounting of technical, economic, and natural factors that objectively affected the level of economic security of peat extracting enterprises. The proposed methodological approach also makes it possible to develop recommendations for increasing the flexibility and adaptability of peat extracting enterprises, taking into account the individual conditions of their work. The methodological research toolkit included the fundamentals of economic theory, information methods for processing statistical data, and economic and mathematical modeling. The methodology approbation was carried out through the example of enterprises of the Tver Region peat-extracting industry, which had been at a low ebb (in protracted economic crisis) for a long time. The conclusions, recommendations, and proposals of the study were used in the development of the Regional program “Natural Resources Management and Environmental Protection” for 2017–2022 (Order of the Tver Region Government No. 414-pp of December 26, 2016 as amended on February 7, 2020).

The exploitation of peatlands in Estonia, which began in the 17th century, has degraded them to a great extent. Consequently, cutover and drained peatlands have become the sources of CO 2. Global warming has led to a need for policies focusing on the protection and restoration of drained and degraded peatlands. Hence, to compare the effect/progress of restoration with the past pristine ecosystem baseline before the peatland was destroyed by cutting, we examined a peat core from North Estonia using chronology based on 14C by analyzing several proxies in high resolution including testate amoebae, plant macrofossils, pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, and diatoms. The results revealed a striking ecological contrast between the pristine (ca. 2 kyrs) and restored state (currently) of the peatland. The pristine state was characterized by a domination of Sphagnum fuscum / rubellum and Archerella flavum , suggesting that extraction area of Hara peatland was a wet and stable ombrotrophic bog. As a result of peat exploitation, deposits comprising the last ca. 2 kyrs were cut. In turn an important feature of the restored section of the peat core was the domination of a green algae (Chlorophyta) and Eriophorum vaginatum as well as testate amoebae species Arcella discoides , which is considered an indicator of hydrological instability. The main difference between the predisturbed and restored parts of the peat core section was that a minor cover of peat-forming Sphagnum and mixotrophic testate amoebae was present in the top inundated part. We state that a healthy raised bog—the target of restoration—should consist abundant mixotrophic testate amoebae such as Archerella flavum and Hyalosphenia papilio which are good indicators of a well-functioning Sphagnum bog ecosystem even if the Sphagnum species differ from the reconstructed ecological baseline conditions. Our study highlights the extensive damage caused to the peat-forming ombrotrophic peatland by extraction and how difficult, challenging, and time-consuming is the process of ecological restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Paris Climate Change Agreement and the European Union (EU) Green Deal transitional assistance policy use the Just Transition (JT) process to support the business sectors most affected by actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The purpose of JT is to ensure social and economic justice in the implementation of climate change mitigation policy. The EU countries that have utilised significant amounts of energy peat, such as Finland and Ireland, will potentially seek JT support for the peat industry. We studied the attitudes of Finnish peat entrepreneurs towards JT by investigating the forms of support they would prefer during the green transition. The data were descriptive, collected by questionnaire, and analysed using Spearman's correlation coefficients. The results show that the preference of entrepreneurs is for direct financial support. Our analyses also suggest that low education level, high age and negative attitude towards the current energy policy can reduce the ability of entrepreneurs to adapt to the current climate change policy. We propose that support should be targeted especially at older entrepreneurs lacking higher-level education, who could be at high risk of being left out of the JT process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Restoration of the bog known as the Leegmoor was accompanied by multiple challenging factors such as lack of a white peat layer, strong water table fluctuations and inhibited lateral water movement. The project started in 1983 and was supported by scientific monitoring. Now, almost 40 years later, the monitoring has been repeated to gauge success. As part of this initiative we investigated nutrient dynamics by monitoring soil and water chemistry (NH4+, NO³-, PO43-, pH, Nt, Pt) and soil water content in 2019-2020 and comparing our results with data from the 1980s and 1990s. Soil water content had increased significantly. Soil NO3--N content had decreased significantly and was mostly below the detection limit, while pH and NH4+-N had not changed. Pore water PO43--P concentrations remained above those observed in near-natural bogs, while nutrients (except NH4+-N) in the surface water had decreased to levels observed in near-natural bogs. Most of the observed nutrients had decreased, some to near-natural levels, although the Leegmoor continued to receive an atmospheric supply of nutrients from adjacent agricultural areas. Our results indicate translocation of nutrients into the vegetation, which has developed substantially, but this process can be expected to end at some point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drainage and peat extraction may have a negative impact on existing hydrological conditions and, consequently, on the conditions of wetland ecosystems. The aim of this study was to assess human impact on the studied Trzcińskie Mokradła Peatland by comparing the concentrations and trace element (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cr and Ni) pools in the study area (extracted vs. non-extracted areas of peatland). The concentration of trace elements in organic soils and their pools were analysed in relation to their depth in the soil profiles, content of organic matter, soil pH values and the degree of decomposition of organic materials (peat, mursh). Fifteen soil profiles (90 samples) were examined. The total soil elements content was determined after digestion in a mixture of HCl+HNO3. The element pools were calculated and expressed in g m−2 of soil in 0–30 cm and 30–50 cm layers. Soils showed acidic or slightly acidic reactions. The high concentrations of Pb and Zn were mainly observed in the upper horizons. The deeper layers enriched with mineral fractions were also enriched in metals like Cr and Ni.

Rewetting is the most effective way to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from drained peatlands and must significantly contribute to the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate within the land sector. In 2010-2013, more than 73 thousand hectares of fire-prone peatlands were rewetted in the Moscow Region (the hitherto largest rewetting program in the Northern Hemisphere). As the Russian Federation has no national accounting of rewetted areas yet, this paper presents an approach to detect them based on multispectral satellite data verified by ground truthing. We propose that effectively rewetted areas should minimally include areas with wet grasslands and those covered with water (cf. the IPCC categories "rewetted organic soils" and "flooded lands"). In 2020, these lands amounted in Moscow Region to more than 5.3 and 3.6 thousand hectares, respectively. Assuming that most rewetted areas were former peat extraction sites and using IPCC default GHG emission factors, an overall GHG emission reduction of over 36,000 tCO2-eq year-1 was calculated. We furthermore considered the uncertainty of calculations. With the example of a 1535 ha large rewetted peatland, we illustrate the estimation of GHG emission reductions for the period up to 2050. The approach presented can be used to estimate GHG emission reductions by peatland rewetting on the national, regional, and object level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to reveal the political positioning of ‘mire nature’ in Finnish peatland policy and law. The data analysed include the latest policy documents, laws and regulations related to mires and peat extraction. Analysis is based on frame analysis (i.e. how an object is defined and positioned) and ideas drawn from a political ecology approach. Two main frames can be identified within the Finnish legal and policy framework: peat as a natural resource to be utilised for national energy sufficiency and economic competitiveness, and peat as a valuable source of biodiversity and an integral element of global ecosecurity. Analysis reveals the degree to which the definition of issues or objects in legal and policy terms is important in determining outcomes. It also reveals that national policies have swung back and forth and are prone to economic power struggles. Furthermore, while laws and regulations have offered strong and longstanding support for the extractive use of peat, the latest regulatory developments show a break from this trend. However, the arguments and facts concerning climate change are poorly integrated with Finnish peatland policy and law.

Managers of restoration projects need readily applicable tools that give them an unequivocal declaration of success or failure based on primary goals that may vary according to different jurisdictions. We used restored extracted Sphagnum peatlands in Canada to illustrate how different types of plant communities assigned to different restoration outcomes can be identified from readily measurable descriptors. Vegetation was surveyed from 5–10 years after restoration at 2–3 year intervals in a total of 274 permanent plots in 66 restored peatlands located across 4500 km, from Alberta in the drier continental interior to the wetter maritime coastal province of New Brunswick. Plant community data were subjected to a k-means clustering that resulted in three restoration outcome categories. A linear discriminant analysis (LDA) model (the “declaration tool”) correctly classified 91 % of the plots in a calibration database that included 75 % of the peatlands, and 93 % of the validation database (25 % of the peatlands), into the restoration outcome categories, using plant strata and number of years since restoration (only) as descriptors. The model includes classification functions that can be used to assign a new plot (not used to construct the model) to its restoration outcome category. We found that ~70 % of the severely degraded peatland is successfully regenerating towards the target plant community.

In this article a concept is presented for replacing the tractors that haul machinery during necessary operations on peat fields with centrally controlled unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). The objective is to reduce operational costs in terms of human labour, fuel consumption and the associated CO2 emissions. A robotic system architecture for the example of milled peat extraction has been developed and assessed on the basis of comparative analysis. Depending on the area of the extraction surface, the number of UGVs and the method of extraction, the fuel consumption and labour requirement for one season were determined using a combination of data from production records compiled by peat companies and field measurements using the UGV under assessment. It is demonstrated that utilising currently available robotic technology for milled peat extraction by either the Haku method or the 'vacuum harvester' method can reduce production-related labour requirement by 34-43 % and fuel consumption by 21-26 % with a corresponding reduction of CO2 emissions. Future advances in UGV technology will increase the advantages of robotic technology by reducing the requirements for human intervention as well as by using green energy in fully electric UGVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If peatland is left without any restoration treatments after mechanical peat extraction ceases, the process of secondary transformation of peat continues. The resulting changes in peat properties severely impede the recovery of vegetation on cutover peatland. The aim of this study was to assess how secondary transformation of peat affects spontaneous revegetation, and the relative importance of different factors in controlling the re-establishment of raised bog species on previously cutover peat surfaces. The study was conducted on two sectors of a raised bog in southern Poland where peat extraction ended either 20 or 30 years ago. Where the residual peat layer was thin (~ 40 cm or less) and the water table often dropped into the mineral substratum, the development of vascular plants (including trees) was favoured, and this further promoted the secondary transformation of peat. In such locations the vegetation tended towards a pine and birch community. Revegetation by Sphagnum and other raised bog species (Eriophorum vaginatum, Vaccinium uliginosum, Ledum palustre, Oxycoccus palustris) was associated with thicker residual peat and higher water table level which, in turn, were strongly correlated with hydrophysical properties of the soil. A species - environmental factor redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that any single factor (of those considered) was not important in determining the revegetation pattern, because of their intercorrelations. However, water table level appeared to be the most important abiotic factor in determining the degree of soil aeration and, consequently, the stage of secondary transformation attained by the peat.

During most of the 20th century, peatlands in Belarus were regarded primarily as a strategic resource for agriculture and energy. In 1991, the Council of Ministers approved a “Scheme of Sustainable Use and Conservation of Peat Resources until 2010” (the “Scheme until 2010”) which allocated a considerable fraction of the country’s mires to nature conservation. Expiry of that Scheme has prompted its replacement with the “National Strategy for the Conservation and Wise (Sustainable) Use of Peatlands in the Republic of Belarus” (the “Strategy”) supported by a new “Scheme until 2030”. The aim is to meet the requirements for both sustainable development of natural resources within Belarus and international conventions. This article describes the development of the Strategy, which was achieved in conjunction with a detailed appraisal of the current state of peatlands in Belarus. The outcome is that the “Scheme until 2030” allocates almost all of the mires that have so far been confirmed still to be in natural (pristine) condition (684,200 ha or 29 % of the total peatland area) to nature conservation, 19,600 ha (1 %) as a reserve of ‘especially valuable’ peat, 99,100 ha (4 %) for commercial peat extraction, and 1,592,600 ha (66 %) for agriculture and forestry.

Rewetting is the most effective way to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from drained peatlands and must significantly contribute to the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate within the land sector. In 2010–2013, more than 73 thousand hectares of fire-prone peatlands were rewetted in the Moscow Region (the hitherto largest rewetting program in the Northern Hemisphere). As the Russian Federation has no national accounting of rewetted areas yet, this paper presents an approach to detect them based on multispectral satellite data verified by ground truthing. We propose that effectively rewetted areas should minimally include areas with wet grasslands and those covered with water (cf. the IPCC categories “rewetted organic soils” and “flooded lands”). In 2020, these lands amounted in Moscow Region to more than 5.3 and 3.6 thousand hectares, respectively. Assuming that most rewetted areas were former peat extraction sites and using IPCC default GHG emission factors, an overall GHG emission reduction of over 36,000 tCO2-eq year−1 was calculated. We furthermore considered the uncertainty of calculations. With the example of a 1535 ha large rewetted peatland, we illustrate the estimation of GHG emission reductions for the period up to 2050. The approach presented can be used to estimate GHG emission reductions by peatland rewetting on the national, regional, and object level.

This article analyses the impact of stakeholder participation in the drafting process of the Environmental Protection Act, which regulates the licensing of peat extraction in Finland. The article contributes to research on the impact of stakeholder participation in regulatory processes, which is a generally underexplored field of study, and seeks to identify which arguments affected the end result. Furthermore, it addresses whether the legislative drafter took into account influential arguments as a result of rational choice arrived at by means of adequate reasoning and under conditions of procedural transparency. Finally, it analyses how these arguments reflect the attitudes of stakeholders towards the objective and dynamics of the public hearing process. The paper presents a qualitative and quantitative argumentation analysis, which consists of an argument typology, together with analysis both of the feasibility of different arguments and the frequency with which they were employed and of the realisation of different viewpoints on the draft. The analysis shows stakeholders' statements had significant effectiveness but that the weight given to different arguments was unbalanced. In conclusion, it seems that frequently used arguments were ignored without reasons being given but that rarely used arguments that seem difficult to apply had an influence on the process. Moreover, stakeholders that supported the objective of the Act used arguments that could not be easily taken into account while still achieving the objective of the Act. Meanwhile, arguments indicating problems that were easy to fix in the draft were used to oppose the objective of the Act per se. Consequently, there was no clear consensus among stakeholders as to whether the public hearing process should be understood as amounting to aggregative bargaining or integrative deliberation. Based on these findings, it is suggested that participatory processes in legislative drafting should be developed to foster horizontal dialogue between stakeholders. • The impact of the public hearing on the draft was significant but unbalanced. • Relevant and recurring arguments were recognised but ignored with no reasons given. • Some who were in favour of the new Act proposed arguments that went against its aim. • Certain arguments opposing the new Act identified problems that were resolvable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to assess the land use changes and the dynamics of the landscape pattern of the Grójec Valley in the scope of diverse anthropogenic impacts. The study site is located in the border of the Koło Basin and Kujawy Lakeland, Central Poland. This area was originally covered with wetlands. Since the beginning of the 20th century it has been influenced by intensive agricultural use, peat extraction and open-pit mining. The research is based on cartographic materials from 1941, 1981 and 2012. The most relevant finding was that in the first study period (1941–1981) the most common changes in land use (transformation of wetlands into grasslands with shrubs) took place. These were caused mainly by a change in hydrological conditions due to drainage for agricultural use (meadows and pastures) and peat extraction. The study confirmed that these land use changes significantly influenced the landscape structure in each of the analysed parameters (patch density and size, edge, shape and diversity metrics). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Peatlands, in their pristine state, are important long-term sinks of carbon. The extraction of peat for horticultural purposes or for biofuel however, may lead to a shift in the carbon dynamics. Additionally, the change in environmental conditions after extraction could allow for invasive species to establish and spread across the peatland. While the benefits and advantages of various restoration management practices have been identified, there has been less attention paid to the carbon exchange from unrestored peatlands at the ecosystem level. This study analyzed the carbon dioxide (CO 2) fluxes from a post-extraction, unrestored peatland in Eastern Québec at both the plant community level, using chamber methods, and at the ecosystem level, using eddy covariance techniques for two successive years. Methane flux at the plant community level was also measured. The site is an overall source of CO 2 , releasing a cumulative annual total of 173 and 259 g C m−2 for 2014 and 2015, respectively and a small source of methane, releasing an average annual cumulative total of 1 g C m−2. Results from this study will help managers assess the importance of post-extraction peatland restoration, by comparing the differences in CO 2 exchange between restored and unrestored peatlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation succession is known to affect carbon-cycling patterns of recovering cutover peatlands, displayed as shifts in emissions of the greenhouse gases CO 2 and CH 4 . However, the related plant-microbe interactions are still poorly understood. We aimed to link the recovery of the organisms responsible for CH 4 turnover, the methanogens and the methanotrophs, to the re-vegetation related compositional changes of three functional plant types ( Sphagna , sedges and shrubs). In peat layers, the Sphagnum coverage was the most influential factor for the activity, abundance and community structures of both these microbial groups, demonstrating a succession pattern towards a pristine stage. Analysis of mcrA and pmoA genes revealed Methanoregulaceae and Methylocystis as the most dominant methanogens and methanotrophs, respectively. The relatively fast recovery of both CH 4 production and oxidation in the peat layers supports earlier flux based results from these same fen-type peatland sites. In contrast to peat, CH 4 oxidation in living Sphagnum mosses appeared to be independent of vegetation succession as CH 4 oxidation potential was similar throughout the succession stages. This indicated that Sphagnum may be a valuable CH 4 biofilter especially in the early re-vegetation stages when the oxidation in the peat has not yet recovered. Therefore, we recommend Sphagnum transplantation as a tool for climate friendly peatland restoration with faster recovery of the carbon sink function and altered CH 4 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During most of the 20th century, peatlands in Belarus were regarded primarily as a strategic resource for agriculture and energy. In 1991, the Council of Ministers approved a "Scheme of Sustainable Use and Conservation of Peat Resources until 2010" (the "Scheme until 2010") which allocated a considerable fraction of the country's mires to nature conservation. Expiry of that Scheme has prompted its replacement with the "National Strategy for the Conservation and Wise (Sustainable) Use of Peatlands in the Republic of Belarus" (the "Strategy") supported by a new "Scheme until 2030". The aim is to meet the requirements for both sustainable development of natural resources within Belarus and international conventions. This article describes the development of the Strategy, which was achieved in conjunction with a detailed appraisal of the current state of peatlands in Belarus. The outcome is that the "Scheme until 2030" allocates almost all of the mires that have so far been confirmed still to be in natural (pristine) condition (684,200 ha or 29 % of the total peatland area) to nature conservation, 19,600 ha (1 %) as a reserve of 'especially valuable' peat, 99,100 ha (4 %) for commercial peat extraction, and 1,592,600 ha (66 %) for agriculture and forestry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The moss layer transfer technique removes the top layer of vegetation from donor sites as a method to transfer propagules and restore degraded or reclaimed peatlands. As this technique is new, little is known about the impacts of moss layer transfer on vegetation and carbon fluxes following harvest. We monitored growing season carbon dioxide (CO) and methane (CH) fluxes as well as plant communities at donor sites and neighbouring natural peatland sites in an ombrotrophic bog and minerotrophic fen in Alberta, Canada from which material was harvested between 1 and 6 years prior to the study. Plant recovery at all donor sites was rapid with an average of 72% total plant cover one growing season after harvest at the fen and an average of 87% total plant cover two growing seasons after harvest at the bog. Moss cover also returned, averaging 84% 6 years after harvest at the bog. The majority of natural peatlands in western Canada are treed and tree recruitment at the donor sites was limited. Methane emissions were higher from donor sites compared to natural sites due to the high water table and greater sedge cover. Carbon budgets suggested that the donor fen and bog sites released higher CO and CH over the growing season compared to adjacent natural sites. However, vegetation re-establishment on donor sites was rapid, and it is possible that these sites will return to their original carbon-cycle functioning after disturbance, suggesting that donor sites may recover naturally without implementing management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies contributed to the development of restoration techniques for open Sphagnum-dominated habitats on peat-extracted bogs. Yet, in exception to some afforestation efforts, connectivity between restored sites and surrounding landscapes has received little attention. The general goal of this study is to ameliorate management of very shallow peat fields (<30 cm) located within the margins of peat-extracted bogs. Firstly, to assist decision making in peatland management, baseline ecological conditions, peat physicochemistry and spontaneous vegetation recolonization were assessed for 18 of these fields. This first study revealed that (1) concentrations of several macro-nutrients are almost one order of magnitude lower for unrestored fields than previously characterized natural lagg habitats of the same region, and (2) there is little spontaneous colonization. In a second study, peat chemistry and soil/air microclimate were evaluated in plantations established on shallow residual peat (a 21-year-old Larix laricina plantation and an 18-year-old Picea mariana plantation) and compared to adjacent unrestored shallow bare-peat fields. This second study showed that afforested peat fields are characterized by (1) a soil enriched in nutrients, notably in N, P, and K, and (2) a more humid and cooler microclimate at the soil/air interface, with less daily humidity and temperature fluctuations. These results indicate that afforestation is an appropriate approach to start an ecological recovery. Yet, the absence of natural recolonization by herbs and mosses in the understory of afforested peat fields suggests that reintroduction of appropriate understory species should also be considered if the goal is to restore a fully functional ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aquatic effects of forestry practices and peat extraction continue to cause serious concerns. The effect mechanisms of peat extraction on water quality and aquatic ecology of the receiving surface waters are well known, but the impacts are often difficult to differentiate from those of forest management. A pairwise temporal sediment study was conducted on two adjacent lakes in Central Finland to study whether the unique effects of peat extraction can be detected in an area of intensive forest drainage. Both lakes are affected by forestry, but the reference lake has no history of peat extraction in its watershed. The deepest parts of the lakes were cored through the lacustrine sediments, and the recent carbon and dry matter sedimentation rates were compared to their site-specific reference values. Recent changes in benthic macroinvertebrates (chironomids) and diatom algae were studied to assess the ecological effects of these practices in the lakes. No significant differences in recent increases in carbon accumulation were found between the peat extraction-impacted lake and the reference lake. The pairwise comparison allowed identification of a regional pattern of impacts that is closely related to the history of land use, particularly forestry, in the region. The approach also allowed identification of the transient signs of peat extraction in the chemical and chironomid records of the impacted lake. The recent changes in chironomids and diatoms suggest eutrophication and deterioration in benthic conditions likely caused by drainage ditch network maintenance activities in the catchments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peat extraction increases the phosphorus, nitrogen, organic matter, suspended solids, and iron concentrations in runoff, resulting in negative effects on downstream water bodies. Wetlands are commonly used as natural cost-effective solutions to mitigate these negative effects. This study analyzed changes in the quality of runoff water from peat extraction areas and the long-term efficiency of constructed wetlands. The results indicate that the quality of runoff water changed after the initial drainage and during peat extraction. Nitrogen leached at high concentrations in the early stages of peat extraction following drainage, whereas the leaching of iron and phosphorus increased after peat extraction from deeper layers. Comparison of water quality and impurities retained immediately after treatment wetland construction and 14 years later showed that the treatment wetland remained functional, with good retention capacity, over a long period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The near threatened Phengaris nausithous is distributed in two large mountainous areas in the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula, living in small dispersed populations. During July and August of 2012-2015 we systematically searched for the species in the southeastern part of the Cordillera Cantábrica. We found 38 new populations grouped into seven metapopulations. Two of the latter are the largest known, representing 34 % of the species' occurrence range in Spain. The discovery of these new metapopulations does not improve the conservation status of P. nausithous in the SW of Europe because a land consolidation project currently underway and an established peat extraction plant could lead to the imminent extinction of the largest metapopulations. However, there is still time to reverse the present course of change. Knowledge of these recently discovered populations allows the establishment of management measures to protect them over the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purification efficiency of a treatment wetland for a peat extraction area in Northern Finland was studied March–October 2012. The focus was on the snowmelt season, with inflow and outflow sampled twice a day. All samples were analysed for stable isotopes of water and various water quality parameters. The wetland inflow and outflow were continuously monitored which in combination of precipitation and evaporation data allowed to study the effect of direct precipitation (dilution) and evaporation (enrichment) on the wetland water balance and water quality. The evaporated water volume was approximately 20% of the inflow on days with small inflows, whereas the proportion of precipitation was more variable. Negative correlations between hydraulic load and water quality at the outlet were found, whereas evaporation, precipitation from/to wetland had a negligible impact on outlet water quality. The observation year was rainier than normal, which complicated application of isotope techniques as the evaporation signal was weak. However, the heavy rain provided ample data on wetland performance under different flow conditions. The wetland reduced concentrations of e.g. suspended solids, phosphate-phosphorus, ammonium and iron, but reduction rate of other dissolved nutrients and organic carbon was low or negative. The observed retention of suspended solids load (28% during snowmelt, 61% during the whole observation period) shows that treatment wetlands can reduce the environmental impact of peat extraction areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]