Öffentlicher Abendvortrag von Professor Dr. Jürgen Kreyling (Universität Greifswald, Institut für Botanik und Landschaftsökologie)

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.

Moderation: Dr. Hasmik Hunanyan