Post-drainage stand growth and peat mineralization impair water quality from forested peatlands

Abstract

Many recent studies have indicated upward trends in carbon and nutrient concentrations from drained peatland forests over time since their initial drainage, but the mechanisms behind these trends are still poorly understood. We gathered data on nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations discharged from 37 drained boreal peatland forests where we also had data on peat and tree stand characteristics. We found that tree stand volume and peat bulk density were positively correlated with the nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations discharged from particularly the deep-peated sites. We interpret these results to indicate that a plausible reason for the reported upward trends in nutrient concentrations is the maturing and growing of the tree stands over time since initial drainage and the consequent increasing evapotranspiration capacity, which results in lowered soil water levels and enhanced aerobic peat mineralization. We discuss how our results should be considered in the management of drained peatland forests.

Published in

Journal of Environmental Quality
2022, Volume: 51, number: 6, pages: 1211-1221
Publisher: WILEY

SLU Authors

• Maher Hasselquist, Eliza

  • Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Mosquera, Virginia

  • Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG6 Clean water and sanitation


UKÄ Subject classification

Forest Science
Environmental Sciences
Ecology


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20412

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/119437