24.8 - Peat Bogs Ecosystem Management

Question 1

Define peat and give its uses.

Answer 1

Definition: Region of wet, spongy ground composing of decomposing vegetation

• Described as a carbon sink (stores CO₂)

Uses of peat: Dried peat can be used as fuel. Releases thermal energy, and CO₂ when burnt.

• Farmers mix peat with soil to improve acidity
• Peat has favourable moisture retaining properties, prevents excess water killing roots when soil is wet

Peat stores nutrients, it is not fertile itself

Question 2

How does peat form?

Answer 2

When plant material is inhibited from fully decaying by acidic/anaerobic conditions

Occurs in wet/boggy areas, peat is composed of wetland vegetation include mosses, sedges & shrubs

Question 3

Describe the biodiversity (animals and vegetation) in Peat Bogs.

Answer 3

Vegetation: Sphagnum mosses, bog cotton, cottonsedge, heathers – adapted to grow in wet conditions with few nutrients

Animals: Bogs support animals such as butterflies, moths, dragonflies, damselflies.

Supports birds and nests as there is a lack of predators and human disturbances

Abundance of insects, spiders, frogs & nutritious vegetation for many species

Ideal hunting ground due to open space

Question 4

What is the importance of maintaining the ecosystem?

Answer 4

Importance of maintaining ecosystem: E.g. of peatland ecosystem, is lowland raised bogs – they are a rare and threatened ecosystem.

Essential they are conserved to maintain biodiversity

Their maintenance contributes to flood management, erosion control & carbon storage.

Decline usually due to afforestation (planting trees where there wasn’t before), peat extraction, agricultural intensification – contribute to bog drying

Question 5

What are the steps to conserving lowland bogs?

Answer 5

Key: Maintain or restore appropriate water levels

1. Ensuring peat and vegetation of bog is undisturbed and as wet as possible.

Usually bogs surrounded by ditches (allows water to run off and preventing flooding). When restoring bogs, ditch blocking is needed to raise water table to bog

1. Removing seedling trees, trees have high water requirement due to transpiration.
2. Controlled grazing to maintain peatland biodiversity. Grazing ensures diverse wetland surface, in terms of structure & species composition. Gives a wide range of habitats for rare insect species