Rewetting increases vegetation cover and net growing season carbon uptake under fen conditions after peat-extraction in Manitoba, Canada

The moss layer transfer technique has been developed to restore the carbon sequestration function and typical vegetation of Sphagnum -dominated peatlands after peat extraction in North America. However, the technique does not lead to successful bryophyte establishment when applied to peatlands with...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2023-11, Vol.13 (1), p.20588-20588, Article 20588
Main Authors: Turmel-Courchesne, Laurence, Davies, Marissa A., Guêné-Nanchen, Mélina, Strack, Maria, Rochefort, Line
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
704/158/854
704/47/4113
Aquatic ecosystems
Aquatic plants
Canada
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon sequestration
Carbon sinks
Ecosystem
Emissions
Fens
Growing season
Humanities and Social Sciences
Manitoba
Methane
multidisciplinary
Peat
Peatlands
Plants
Propagules
Recovery of function
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Seasons
Soil
Vegetation
Vegetation cover
Vegetation establishment
Vegetation surveys
Water
Water levels
Water management
Wetlands
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Summary:The moss layer transfer technique has been developed to restore the carbon sequestration function and typical vegetation of Sphagnum -dominated peatlands after peat extraction in North America. However, the technique does not lead to successful bryophyte establishment when applied to peatlands with a richer residual fen peat. Therefore, we evaluated an alternative method of active rewetting and passive vegetation establishment using vegetation surveys and carbon dioxide and methane (CH 4 ) flux measurements at a post-extracted fen in southern Manitoba, Canada. After one growing season post-rewetting, wetland vegetation established and the site was a net carbon sink over the growing season. However, high abundance of Carex lasiocarpa 10 years post-treatment led to higher CH 4 emissions than the reference ecosystem. Successful establishment of wetland vegetation is attributed to the area being surrounded by undisturbed fens that can provide a local source of plant propagules. Bryophyte expansion was less successful than vascular plants, likely due to episodic flooding and shading from the sedge communities. Therefore, careful management of water levels to just below the peat surface is needed if reference vegetation community recovery is the goal of restoration. Water level management will also play a key role in controlling CH 4 emissions to maximize carbon sequestration potential.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-023-47879-y