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Ecosystem Service Restoration after 10 Years of Rewetting Peatlands in NE Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Stefan Zerbe

    (Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Faculty of Science and Technology)

  • Peggy Steffenhagen

    (Luftbild Umwelt Planung GmbH (LUP))

  • Karsten Parakenings

    (University Greifswald, Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology)

  • Tiemo Timmermann

    (University Greifswald, Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology)

  • Annett Frick

    (Luftbild Umwelt Planung GmbH (LUP))

  • Jörg Gelbrecht

    (Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Berlin)

  • Dominik Zak

    (Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Berlin)

Abstract

The restoration of ecosystem services, i.e., production, regulation, and information, is a global challenge, which the federal state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in NE Germany addressed in 2000 by rewetting over 20,000 ha of degraded peatlands within the Mire Restoration Program. We evaluated ecosystem services in 23 rewetted sites by assessing the following mire parameters within a ten year period: (a) dominant vegetation at the ecosystem level, (b) peat formation potential at the landscape level, and (c) aboveground biomass and nutrient levels. Seven to 10 years after rewetting, the wetlands formed a mosaic of vegetation types with the highest potential for peat formation and several dominant, peat-forming species accumulated high levels of aboveground biomass and nutrients (C, N, P). Common reed (Phragmites australis) accumulated the most biomass (up to 24 t dry matter/ha), and N+P during the growing season. A future management option is to annually harvest aquatic and wetland plants to reduce nutrient levels in restored mire ecosystems.

Suggested Citation

  • Stefan Zerbe & Peggy Steffenhagen & Karsten Parakenings & Tiemo Timmermann & Annett Frick & Jörg Gelbrecht & Dominik Zak, 2013. "Ecosystem Service Restoration after 10 Years of Rewetting Peatlands in NE Germany," Environmental Management, Springer, vol. 51(6), pages 1194-1209, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:envman:v:51:y:2013:i:6:d:10.1007_s00267-013-0048-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s00267-013-0048-2
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