Management of bogs, fens and other carbon storing wetlands

Transcription

1 A future task in good hands Management of bogs, fens and other carbon storing wetlands Dr. Uwe Riecken FG I 2.1 Biotope Protection and Biotope Management

2 Agenda Introduction Introduction: important types of wetland habitats in Germany and distribution Example I: Example II:

3 Introduction Introduction Carbone storing wetlands in Germany: fens lime-deficient fens lime-rich fens transition mires raised bogs large sedge swamps bog heaths and wet heaths birch bog woodland bog woodland (coniferous) spruce, Scots pine, bog pine, dwarf mountain pine carr woodlands (elder or birch) tidal fens of the Baltic Sea coast

4 Importance in the past Introduction area [1'000 sqkm] Berlgium Growing fens and bogs in selected countries of the EU % 36.0 % ca % ca % % 4.9 % % 0.4 % 0 Danmark Germany The Neterhlands Austria Poland Switzerland Tschech Rep. ## % = percentage of the land area total 1700: sqkm 2000: sqkm loss: 95,1 % Germany: sqkm 2000: 140 sqkm loss: 99,0 %

5 Development of bogs and fens Introduction ca ca Habitat type fens raised bogs transition mires large sedge swamps bog heaths and wet heaths birch bog woodlands carr woodlands coniferous bog woodlands tendency Red Data Book

6 actual distribution: Introduction north-western German lowlands north-eastern German lowlands pre-alpine region mountains

7 Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg Bayern Bayern Brandenburg/Berlin Brandenburg/Berlin Hessen Hessen Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Niedersachsen/Bremen Niedersachsen/Bremen Nordrhein-Westfalen Nordrhein-Westfalen Rheinland-Pfalz Rheinland-Pfalz Saarland Saarland Sachsen Sachsen Sachsen-Anhalt Sachsen-Anhalt Schleswig-Holstein/ Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein/ Hamburg Thüringen Thüringen Actual distribution (incl. all degeneration stages) raised raised bogs bogs (3'360 (3'360 sqkm) sqkm) fens fens (10'833 (10'833 sqkm) sqkm) federal federal states states area area [sqkm] [sqkm] Introduction

8 Example I: fens

9 Example I: fens What is typical? result of siltation of lakes and ponds high ground water level sedges are dominating, more or less free of trees often connected with wet forests and scrubs accumulation of biomass (peat)

10 Example I: fens Threats? changes in the water household (draining) agricultural use: mowing, life-stock keeping peat cutting loss of peat by biological decomposition => no more C-accumulation eutrification => impacts on surrounding ecosystems complete change in vegetation and animal life abandonment: scrubs and trees, other plants which are adapted to high nutrient levels => increasing evaporation; decreasing ground water level => enhances peat decomposition

11 Example I: fens Management: First of all: There is no really sustainable agricultural use of fens without any impacts on the water household with the exception of late 1 m/ mowing 100a recovering natural water household detailed hydrological planning is needed closing drains building dams active pumping stopping ground water exploitation cutting trees and scrubs reducing (stopping) agricultural use in some cases: bringing in typical plants problems: in some cases CH 4 or N 2 O is emitted, which are much more impacting climate than CO 2 due to high nutrient level typical plant species often are not competitive enough

12 Example I: fens Introduction Impact of management measures on Carabid beetle communities: decrease of common field species increase of typical species

13 Project Drömling (Niedersachsen) Introduction Core area 42 km 2 Duration: Important habitats (e. g.): wet grasslands carr woodlands fens brooks, small rivers BfN/BMU support: 9.05 Mio.

14 Peental/ Peene-Haff-Moor Introduction core area: 200 km² duration: river lowland area with e. g. fens, carr woodlands, lakes and ponds, reed stands, wet scrubs, wet grassland BfN/BMU support: 31.1 Mio.

15 Example II: raised bogs

16 Example II: raised bogs What is typical? result of ongoing accumulation of peat depending on rainfall/rain water only peat mosses (Gen.: Sphagnum) main biomass special chemical situation: low nutrient level, low ph-level only few highly specialized plant and animal species special structure, center free of trees

17 Example II: raised bogs Threats? changes in the water household (draining) peat cutting for use in industry, heating and as garden fertilizer agricultural use loss of peat by biological decomposition; no more C-accumulation eutrification -> impacts on surrounding ecosystems complete change in vegetation and animal life abandonment: scrubs and trees, other plants which are adapted to lower ground water levels => increasing evaporation; decreasing ground water level raised bog raised bog path path channel

18 Example II: raised bogs Introduction Management: First of all: There is no really sustainable agricultural use of raised bogs without any impacts on the water household damming management damming scrub cutting birch cutting regeneration

19 Example II: raised bogs Introduction areas with irreversible changes in water household: extensive grazing can be necessary in some cases: bringing in typical plants problems: in some cases CH 4 or N 2 O is emitted, which are much more impacting climate due to high nutrient level typical plant species often are not competitive

20 Introduction

21 Example II: raised bogs

22 Introduction impressive components of the German natural heritage important for carbon storing legally protected ( 30 German Nature Conservation Act) most of them: habitat types (EU habitats directive) important task of the National Strategy on Biodiversity one target ecosystem of large scale nature conservation projects (idee.nature) but: still threatened still suffering (including climate change) more efforts are needed

23 Sources used for this presentation: Berg, E. (2004): Die Kultivierung der nordwestdeutschen Hochmoore. - Oldenburger Forschungen N.F.20, Isensee Verlag, 199 S. Irmler, U., Müller, K. & Eigner, J. (Hrsg.) (1998): Das Dosenmoor. Ökologie eines regenerierenden Hochmoors. - Faun.-ökol. Arbeitsgem. Kiel, 283 S. Kratz, R. & Pfadenhauer, J. (Hrsg.) (2001): Ökosystemmanagement für Niedermoore - Strategien und Verfahren zur Renaturierung. - Stuttgart (Verlag E. Ulmer) 317 S. Riecken, U., Finck, P., Raths, U., Schröder, E. & Ssymank, A. (2006): Rote Liste der gefährdeten Biotoptypen Deutschlands. Zweite fortgeschriebene Fassung Natursch. Biol. Vielf. 34, 318 S. Succow, M. & Jeschke, L. (1990): Moore in der Landschaft. Entstehung, Haushalt, Lebewelt, Verbreitung, Nutzung und Erhaltung der Moore. 2. Aufl. - Urania Verl., Leibzig - Jena - Berlin, 268 S.

24 A future task in good hands Management of bogs, fens and other carbon storing wetlands Dr. Uwe Riecken FG I 2.1 Biotope Protection and Biotope Management