Analysis of the potential of restoration and improved conservation of peatlands in Northern Eurasia Authors: Annett Thiele, Frank Edom & Tom Kirschey Annett Thiele, Landscape ecology and consulting on climate influence of peatlands and mires, Berlin, Germany Ландшафтный эколог, консультант по влиянию болотных экосистем на климат annettthiele@gmail.com
Analysis of the potential of restoration and improved conservation of peatlands in Northern Eurasia Triangle of a Peatland hydrologist Frank Edom Biodiversity specialist Tom Kirschey GHG emissions from peatlands It s me!
growing, wet peatlands CH 4 CO 2 neutral for the climate M. Minke
Intro Currently 550 Gt of Carbon are stored in all the peatlands in the worlg, which is - Two times more than in all forests of the world - 75% of the total amount of carbon in the atmosphere
drained, degraded peatland CO 2 N2O 1960-1990 years more than 50% of belarusian peatlands have been drained and degraded Germany has drained 97% of all peatlands- the picture is similar all over western Europe
Emission hotspots
0.6 % of the landmass, that are drianed peatlands, are responsible for ~5% of all antropogenic CO2 emissions
Meta analysis on GHG emissions from peatlands 60 GWP t CO 2 -eq. ha -1 a -1 40 20 Drainage based peatland utilisation Emission reduction 0 Rewetting -120-100 -80-60 -40-20 0 20 40 Mean annual water table [cm] Jurasinski%et%al.%in%Wichtmann,%W.,%Schröder,%C%&%H.%Joosten%(eds.)%in%Vorbereitung:%Paludikultur% %%BewirtschaOung%nasser%Moore%Q%Klimaschutz,%Biodiversität,%regionale%Wertschöpfung% %Kap.%6%Ökosystemleistungen% von%paludikultur.%paludiculture% %%cul5va5on%of%wet%peatlands.%climate%protec5on,%biodiversity,%regional%economic%benefits% %Chapt.%6%Ecosystem%services%of%Paludiculture,%Schweizerbart%Science%Publishers,%~330%S.%
Emissions strongly related to water level Vegetation strongly related to water level! Use vegetation as indicator for emissions! Germany, Anklamer Stadtbruch
Vegetation as indicator of emissions Integration of site parameters Quicker Easier Cheaper Greenhouse Gas Emission Site Types (GESTs) Belarus, Dakudauskaje peatland
Analysis of the potential of restoration and improved conservation of peatlands in Northern Eurasia Content Countries:» Lithuania» Poland» Belarus» European part of Russia (spec. Nizhegorodskoi Oblast) General terms and principles Hydrological basics and time scales of internal processes Importance of mires and peatlands for biodiversity, climate, monetary and non-monetary values, nature conservation Climate influence of peatlands Chance for rewetting?
Analysis of the potential of restoration and improved conservation of peatlands in Northern Eurasia Problems of mires and peatlands in the target regions peat fires, peat extraction, agriculture, Country wise brief description of possible project sites Landscape history and utilization history State of the art in biodiversity and potentials under rewetting Climate potentials under rewetting (preliminary calculations) If possible, preliminary budget planning In-country partners
Analysis of the potential of restoration and improved conservation of peatlands in Northern Eurasia General principles of rewetting planning Following the VCS methodology Baseline monitoring meth. for the rewetting of drained peatlands used for peat extraction, forestry or agriculture based on GESTs Substantial hydrological data analysis (hydrogeology, morphology, water flow, prediction of habitat changes) and consideration under rewetting planning Planning of monitoring scheme
General principles of rewetting planning GHG assessment Baseline monitoring meth. for the rewetting of drained peatlands used for peat extraction, forestry or agriculture based on GESTs Methods to assess emission reductions from peatland rewetting Or see: Couwenberg, J., Thiele, A., Tanneberger, F., Augustin, J., Bärisch, S., Dubovik, D., Liashchynskaya, N., Michaelis, D., Minke, M., Skuratovich, A., Joosten, H., (2011): Assessing greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands using vegetation as a proxy. Hydrobiologia Special Issue Wetlands, pp. 67-89.
Simple example of expected change in vegetation and emissions Moist bare peat 10 t CO 2 eq. ha -1 y -1 Sphagnum Erioph. carpet (Erioph. green Sphagn. 6.5 +1.5 dom.) carpet 3.5 t CO 2 eq. ha -1 y -1 5 t CO 2 eq. ha -1 y -1 We gain 5 t CO 2 eq. ha -1 y -1 Moderately moist cultivated peatlands 24 t CO 2 eq. ha -1 y -1 Moist Phragmites 11.5 reeds and sedge fens 12.5 t CO 2 eq. 9 ha -1 y -1 We gain 20.5 t CO 2 eq. ha -1 y -1 Very moist reeds 3.5 t CO 2 eq. ha -1 y -1
Site example fen site Horeuskaje, Belarus We gain 11,010 t CO 2 e on a 20 years period or 550 t CO 2 e yr -1 or 2.88 t CO 2 e ha -1 yr -1
Hydrogeological data analysis Hydrogeology KOSKA et al. 1996, EDOM 2001
Hydrogeological data analysis Peat characteristics 26,1 25,9 25,7 25,5 25,3 25,1 W Relative Höhe gemäß Karte (m) Moliniaha ng Fanggraben Moorrand, quellig Große Torfstichschlenke Eriophorum-Cuspidata- Schwin gdecke Bi rkenau fwu ch s Trunkelbeerhügel Torfige, trockene Senke Projekt: Moorerkundung Elbsandsteingebirge (Teil 2) Auftraggeber: Nationalpark Sächsische Schweiz Auftragnehmer: HYDROTELM Dip l.-h yd r. F. Edo m Dip l.-geogr. H. Stegman n Dip l.-h yd r. B. Sol brig Datum: November 2002 Rajec 2 Bohrtransekt 1 16-fache Überhöhung Entwurf: Stegmann, Edom Kiefern Anlage: 6.2 O 24,9 Stauteich 24,7 24,5 Leh mu nte rl agerte r Moo rtei l (Stauwasserversumpfungsmoor) 24,3 24,1 23,9? Sandunterlagerter Moorteil (Grundwass erversumpfungsmoor ) 23,7 B 11 B10 B9 B8 B7 m 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 B5 B4 B3 B2 B1 EDOM et al. 2002
Hydrogeological data analysis Peatland surface morphology
Hydrogeological data analysis Surface water flow
Synergies with organizations in the countries equal collaboration of partners and knowledge exchange data collection, analysis and monitoring can be conducted by incountry specialists We would be happy if you would be ready to work together with us!
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