Department of Plant Sciences, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Centre for Northern Studies and Peatland Ecology Research Group, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Sci Rep. 2023 Nov 23;13(1):20588. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-47879-y.
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) 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 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 emissions to maximize carbon sequestration potential.
苔藓层转移技术已被开发用于恢复北美泥炭开采后以泥炭藓为主的泥炭地的碳固存功能和典型植被。然而，当应用于富含有机残积泥炭的泥炭地时，该技术并不能成功建立苔藓植物。因此，我们在加拿大马尼托巴省南部的一个已开采的沼泽地评估了一种主动回湿和被动植被建立的替代方法，通过植被调查和二氧化碳和甲烷 (CH) 通量测量来评估。回湿后一个生长季后，湿地植被建立，该地点在整个生长季都是净碳汇。然而，在处理后 10 年，由于 Carex lasiocarpa 的丰度较高，导致 CH 排放量高于参考生态系统。湿地植被的成功建立归因于该地区被未受干扰的沼泽环绕，这些沼泽可以为植物繁殖体提供局部来源。苔藓植物的扩展不如维管植物成功，可能是由于沼泽社区的间歇性洪水和遮荫。因此，如果恢复的目标是参考植被群落的恢复，就需要对水位进行精细管理，使其略低于泥炭表面。水位管理还将在控制 CH 排放以最大限度地发挥碳固存潜力方面发挥关键作用。
