Jukka Laine , Harri Vasander, Antti Puhalainen

A method to estimate the effect of forest drainage on the carbon store of a mire

Laine J., Vasander H., Puhalainen A. A method to estimate the effect of forest drainage on the carbon store of a mire.

Tiivistelmä

Mires are sinks for carbon. Drainage enhances the aerobic microbial decomposition of the surface peat, which may transform mires into net sources of carbon to the atmosphere. However, the increase in the growth of the tree stand and consequent fixation of carbon after drainage may be expected to have a compensating effect. The effects of drainage on the carbon stores of a mire are not easy to establish. This paper discusses a method that can be used to assess the changes in cases where part of the mire has been left in the virgin condition. The method is based on bulk density and carbon content profiles measured along a transect running from the undrained part to the drained part of the mire. The carbon store of the peat in each case is calculated for the peat depth in which drainage is considered to have caused changes. The subsidence at each measuring point on the drained side is subtracted from the original peat depth before carbon store calculations. Keywords: Boreal zone, carbon stores, peatland forestry

Avainsanat
peatland forestry; Carbon stores; Boreal zone

Vastaanotettu 31.10.2017 Julkaistu 1.1.1992

Katselukerrat 1767

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