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| Titel |
Biogeochemical indicators of peatland degradation – a case study of a temperate bog in northern Germany |
| VerfasserIn |
J. P. Krüger, J. Leifeld, S. Glatzel, S. Szidat, C. Alewell |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| ISSN |
1726-4170
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| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: Biogeosciences ; 12, no. 10 ; Nr. 12, no. 10 (2015-05-19), S.2861-2871 |
| Datensatznummer |
250117935
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/bg-12-2861-2015.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Organic soils in peatlands store a great proportion of the global soil
carbon pool and can lose carbon via the atmosphere due to degradation. In
Germany, most of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from organic soils are
attributed to sites managed as grassland. Here, we investigated a land use
gradient from near-natural wetland (NW) to an extensively managed (GE) to an
intensively managed grassland site (GI), all formed in the same bog complex
in northern Germany. Vertical depth profiles of δ13C, δ15N, ash content, C / N ratio and bulk density as well as radiocarbon ages
were studied to identify peat degradation and to calculate carbon loss. At
all sites, including the near-natural site, δ13C depth profiles
indicate aerobic decomposition in the upper horizons. Depth profiles of
δ15N differed significantly between sites with increasing
δ15N values in the top soil layers paralleling an increase in
land use intensity owing to differences in peat decomposition and fertilizer
application. At both grassland sites, the ash content peaked within the
first centimetres. In the near-natural site, ash contents were highest in
10–60 cm depth. The ash profiles, not only at the managed grassland sites,
but also at the near-natural site indicate that all sites were influenced by
anthropogenic activities either currently or in the past, most likely due to
drainage. Based on the enrichment of ash content and changes in bulk
density, we calculated the total carbon loss from the sites since the peatland
was influenced by anthropogenic activities. Carbon loss at the sites increased in
the following order: NW < GE < GI. Radiocarbon ages of peat in the topsoil of
GE and GI were hundreds of years, indicating the loss of younger peat material.
In contrast, peat in the first centimetres of the NW was only a few decades
old, indicating recent peat growth. It is likely that the NW site
accumulates carbon today but was perturbed by anthropogenic activities in
the past. Together, all biogeochemical parameters indicate a degradation of
peat due to (i) conversion to grassland with historical drainage and (ii)
land use intensification. |
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