AktiMoos
Activation of bog regeneration through (re-)establishment of hummock building peat mosses
The regeneration of strongly degraded bogs towards functionally intact ecosystems is a long-lasting process. A key factor ist he re-establishment hummock-forming peat mosses. Beside the identification favourable conditions fort he establishment of hummock peat mosses the project includes field trials to increase the success rate for restoration sites with less favourable starting conditions. These trials cover different aspects including the mitigation of unfavourable hydrologic conditions. Therefore, we test the effectiveness of artificially constructed microforms for moss establishment in temporarily flooded sites (mostly early successional stages) in comparision to the inoculation of naturally existing vegetation structures (later successional stages). Examplary, we will perform our investigations under real-world conditions in two cut-over bog sites where the special mining technique offers the possibility to compare areas of different successional stages in close proximity with concurrent transferability to other mining techniques. Additionally, we will work on old restoration site as well as on peat moss propagation fields to use these data as a reference for close to optimal conditions.
The project targets on the development of concepts to activelyely implement the re-establishment of hummock peat mosses as an important part of bog restoration. Additionally we will perfom extensive carbon flux measurements. In the end we hope to define the point of time early as possible to activate the regeneration oft the most important ecosystem functions. For this, we will provide suitable indicators for efficiency contral and the long-term monitoring of restored cut-over bogs.
PIs: Prof. Dr. Kleinebecker, Prof. Dr. Norbert Hölzel und Prof. Dr. Klaus-Holger Knorr (both WWU Münster)
Duration: 2019-2022
Funding: DBU
