Overcoming establishment thresholds for peat mosses in human-made bog pools.

ABSTRACT: Globally, peatlands have been affected by drainage and peat extraction, with adverse effects on their functioning and services. To restore peat-forming vegetation, drained bogs are being rewetted on a large scale. Although this practice results in higher groundwater levels, unfortunately it often creates deep lakes in parts where peat was extracted to greater depths than the surroundings. Revegetation of these deeper waters by peat mosses appears to be challenging due to strong abiotic feedbacks that keep these systems in an undesired bare state. In this study, we theoretically explore if a floating peat mat and an open human-made bog lake can be considered two alternative stable states using a simple model, and experimentally test in the field whether stable states are present, and whethe

SUBMITTER: Temmink RJM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8459249 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature