Biodiversity & Ecology

English

Abstract: The project ‘Restoring Peatlands and applying Concepts for Sustainable Management in Belarus’ supported by the International Climate Initiative of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety implements a large scale peatland investigation and rewetting programme in Belarus (2008–2012). Huge degraded peatlands (ca 15,000 ha) are monitored before and after rewetting. To be able to account for the emission reductions upon rewetting, a search for a proxy for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions revealed that water level fluctuations are the main influencing factor for emissions. The indication function of species and species groups can provide information about mean water levels on peatlands. Therefore vegetation types are worked out and tested as a proxy to estimate GHG emissions. The investigations include full relevés, long term water level fluctuations and partly GHG measurements using the chamber method on a range from natural, semi-natural and degraded fens and bogs. A model (GEST-Model) based on space for time substitution will allow to monitor GHG emissions from peatlands before and after rewetting and to account for the emissions saved under rewetting and restoring peatlands. This report describes the available content in the Belarus Peatland Restoration Project Database (GIVD ID EU-BY-001).