Does hydrological restoration affect greenhouse gases emission and plant dynamics in sphagnum peatlands?

Authors:
F. Laggoun-Défarge, S. Gogo, L. Bernard-Jannin, C.Guimbaud2, R. Zoccatelli, J. Rousseau, S. Binet1, B. D‘Angelo, F. Leroy, N. Jozja, F. Le Moing and C. Défarge

Book:
Proceedings of the 15th International Peat Congress

Venue:
Kuching

Keywords:
co2-and-ch4-fluxes, molinia-caerulea, peat-organic-matter, plant-removal-experiments, water-table

Documentfile:
ipc16p416-419a417laggoungogo.etal_.pdf

Summary:

SUMMARY The C-sink function of peatlands is mainly controlled by soil waterlogging and Sphagnum moss dominance. La Guette peatland (Sologne, France) was drained for decades by a road ditch resulting in vascular plant (Molinia caerulea) invasion. Hydrological restoration was undertaken in 2014 and vegetation experiments were set up. In both downstream and upstream stations, three treatments (n=4) were conducted: ―control‖ with intact vegetation, ―bare peat―, and ―Sphagnum‖ (bare peat seeded with Sphagnum). Our aim was to assess the effect of such actions on plant community diversity and CO2/CH4 fluxes. In each plot, gas fluxes and plant cover were measured. 18…