Sphagnum production and decomposition in a restored cutover peatland

Abstract

Natural peatlands represent a long-termsink of atmospheric carbon dioxide(CO2), however, drained and extractedpeatlands can represent a source ofatmospheric CO2. The restoration ofSphagnum mosses on abandoned milledpeatlands has the potential to sequesteratmospheric CO2 thereby returning thepeatland to a peat accumulating system.Micrometeorological and chambermeasurements of net ecosystem CO2exchange are proven methods forinvestigating production and decompositionprocesses in both natural, extracted, andrestored peatlands. However, this approachis relatively expensive because ofinfrastructure and human resources that notonly limits potential use for ecologicalmanagers but it limits the number of sitesthat can be monitored due to high spatialvariability. Here we present crank wire anddestructive sampling productionmeasurements, litter bag decompositionmeasurements and measurements of netecosystem CO2 exchange made in arestored peatland and natural peatlandsites nearby. The objectives were to assessproduction and decomposition rates in thetwo systems as well as to compare thedifferent measurements techniques.Estimates of Sphagnum fuscumproduction at a restored peatland, usingthe different methods, followed the trend:crank wire S.capillifolium) according to their abilityto withstand harsh conditions on restoredpeat surfaces. Decomposition rate was alsosignificantly greater (p<0.05) for S. capillifolium than S. fuscum,resulting in an overall plant accumulationgreater for S. fuscum. Although therestored surfaces were fairly young,production rates estimated on cutoversurfaces that were fully covered with athin Sphagnum mat compared withproduction rates observed in natural sitesnearby.