We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
Post‐drainage stand growth and peat mineralization impair water quality from forested peatlands.
- Authors
Nieminen, Mika; Hasselquist, Eliza Maher; Mosquera, Virginia; Ukonmaanaho, Liisa; Sallantaus, Tapani; Sarkkola, Sakari
- Abstract
Many recent studies have indicated upward trends in carbon and nutrient concentrations from drained peatland forests over time since their initial drainage, but the mechanisms behind these trends are still poorly understood. We gathered data on nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations discharged from 37 drained boreal peatland forests where we also had data on peat and tree stand characteristics. We found that tree stand volume and peat bulk density were positively correlated with the nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations discharged from particularly the deep‐peated sites. We interpret these results to indicate that a plausible reason for the reported upward trends in nutrient concentrations is the maturing and growing of the tree stands over time since initial drainage and the consequent increasing evapotranspiration capacity, which results in lowered soil water levels and enhanced aerobic peat mineralization. We discuss how our results should be considered in the management of drained peatland forests. Core Ideas: Nutrient concentrations discharging from forestry‐drained peatlands were correlated with site properties.Positive correlations were found between peat bulk density and discharged N and P concentrations.Positive correlations were found between tree stand volume and discharged N and P concentrations.We emphasize a risk for water quality deterioration over time since drainage.
- Subjects
WATER quality; PEAT; PEATLANDS; PEATLAND restoration; PEATLAND management; MINERALIZATION
- Publication
Journal of Environmental Quality, 2022, Vol 51, Issue 6, p1211
- ISSN
0047-2425
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/jeq2.20412