Authors:
Bärbel Tiemeyer, Petra Kahle
Book:
Proceedings of the 14th International Peat Congress
Venue:
Stockholm
Keywords:
drainage, grassland, nitrate, peatland-hydrology, water-quality
Documentfile:
Tiemeyer, Kahle 2012: Nitrogen and Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) Losses From a Degraded Peatland in North-Easter Germany
Summary:
Theme I. Inventory, stratigraphy and conservation of mires and peatlands
SUMMARY
Nitrogen (N) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and losses were studied for two years in a small catchment dominated by a degraded peatland used as intensive grassland. Concentrations in the groundwater were spatially and temporally very variable with nitrate being the most dynamic component. DOC losses were 66 kg/ha in the wet year 2006/07 and 39 kg/ha in the dry year 2007/08. Total N losses amounted to 42 and 31 kg/ha. In both years, dissolved organic N losses accounted for around 15% of the total N losses and thus form a relevant component of the N losses from drained peatland catchments.