Authors:
González E., Poulin M., Rochefort L.
Book:
Proceedings of the 14th International Peat Congress
Venue:
Stockholm
Keywords:
abandoned-exploited-bogs, autogenic-processes, spontaneous-revegetation, trench
Documentfile:
González et al 2012: Secondary Succession in Abandoned Block-Cut Peatlands
Summary:
Theme V. Restoration, rehabilitation and after-use of disturbed peatlands
SUMMARY
In 2005-2006, five abandoned block-cut peatlands of Eastern Canada, whose vegetation had been surveyed in 1994-1997, were revisited to examine whether the trajectories of the plant communities were converging or diverging among and within peatlands. Ordination techniques were used to separate 166 observation sites (2 sampling campaigns x 83 trenches left by the block-cut activities) in the 5 peatlands along two main gradients: dry-to-wet and open-to-forested. Results showed that the tendency of trenches was to diverge with time along the first gradient and to converge to more forested sites along the second gradient. Thus, sites which need active intervention to Ensure the return of the peat accumulation function could be identified.