Response of blanket bog vegetation to drain-blocking
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Published source details
Bellamy P.E., Stephen L., Maclean I.S. & Grant M.C. (2012) Response of blanket bog vegetation to drain-blocking. Applied Vegetation Science, 15, 129-135.
Published source details Bellamy P.E., Stephen L., Maclean I.S. & Grant M.C. (2012) Response of blanket bog vegetation to drain-blocking. Applied Vegetation Science, 15, 129-135.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Rewet peatland (raise water table) Action Link |
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Rewet peatland (raise water table)
A replicated site comparison study in 2007 in four blanket bogs in Scotland, UK (Bellamy et al. 2012) reported that two rewetted bogs had, after 3–11 years, similar cover of bog-characteristic vegetation and open water (6–26%) to bogs that remained drained (5–16%). This result is not based on a test of statistical significance. Additionally, in one bog (Cross Lochs), transects rewetted eleven years before measurement had greater cover of bog plants/open water (26%) than transects rewetted only four years before (10%). Between 1996 and 2004, two drained bogs were rewetted by blocking most of their drainage ditches with peat and plastic dams. Two other bogs remained drained (ditches were not blocked). In summer 2007, cover of vegetation and open water were recorded in each bog along 30–60 randomly placed 1 m transects. Cover of bog characteristic Sphagnum moss species, common cottongrass Eriophorum angustifolium, dead heather Calluna vulgaris and open water were combined into a ‘bog recovery index’ for analysis.
(Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)
