Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Peatlands play a crucial role in flood control and enhancing water storage capacity (WSC). They are particularly vulnerable to changes in drainage management as well as climate change. While limited research has been conducted on the immediate response of peatlands to various ditch maintenance activities, the combined effects of climate change and different ditch management strategies on boreal peatlands remain largely unexplored. This study has been designed to assess how different ditch maintenance strategies might affect peatland WSC under both present and future climates. In this study, the author used experimental peatland mesocosms using climate control room simulations. Three ditch maintenance strategies: a) ditch cleaning, b) left-alone, and c) rewetting were tested alongside two climates, including a present (growing season 2022) and a moderate future climate change scenario, representative concentration pathway (RCP 4.5). The results demonstrate that rewetting significantly improves peatland WSC, presumably due to upper peat layers where sphagnum moss growth enhances porosity. Conversely, ditch cleaning and left-alone led to reduced WSC. While climate change effects on ditch cleaning and left-alone peatlands were minimal due to predicted higher precipitation under RCP 4.5, the rewetted systems experienced a notable increase in WSC in warmer and wetter conditions. These findings highlight the necessity for adaptive management strategies to safeguard peatlands against climate-driven changes, ensuring their role in enhancing water storage capacity and flood control is maintained. However, long-term experimental studies are recommended to provide more reliable and precise outcomes.