Paludicultur as sustainable use of rewetted peatlands

Draining temperate peatlands created multiple problems such as greenhouse gas emissions, eutrophication and subsidence due to peat mineralization, but also loss of highly specialized biodiversity. Based on data from the Greifswald Mire Centre, I will explore the potential of paludiculture, i.e. the wet use of peatlands, in tackling the multiple challenges mentioned above. Rewetting effectively curbs carbon losses, but rewetted fens are more enriched in nutrients and differ in vegetation composition compared to natural fens. Harvesting aboveground plant biomass can effectively reduce competition between plant species and also nutrient loads, while belowground production leading to peat formation and potential carbon storage is even enhanced by high nutrient loads. Paludiculture has the potential to foster conservation targets across multiple taxa such as plants, arthropods, and birds. Drought events occur with increasing intensity and frequency due to climate change. High decomposition under these circumstances, however, is balanced by increased root production due to an elongated belowground growing season. I conclude that paludiculture is a viable management option for rewetted fens that can curb multiple environmental challenges such as greenhouse gas emissions, eutrophication and biodiversity loss. 

Jürgen Kreyling is Professor of Experimental Plant Ecology at the University of Greifswald. He is spokesperson for the DFG Collaborative Research Center WETSCAPES2.0 and a member of the steering committee of the Greifswald Moor Centrum. He researches the response of ecosystems to global change using experiments on various scales – from controlled laboratory experiments in climate chambers to pot experiments, mesocosm experiments, field experiments, and field observations. His current research focuses on underground plant growth, the role of plant roots in ecosystem functions, phenotypic plasticity and species adaptations, renaturation and use of fens, winter ecology (and climate change in winter), the ecological significance of extreme weather events, and experimental design.

Moderation: Dr. Hasmik Hunanyan