Berlin’s peatlands under - BfN...Christian Heller, Diana Möller, Christian Klingenfuß & Jutta...
Transcript of Berlin’s peatlands under - BfN...Christian Heller, Diana Möller, Christian Klingenfuß & Jutta...
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Scince
Christian Heller, Diana Möller, Christian Klingenfuß & Jutta Zeitz (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin – Division of Soil Science and Site Science)
Berlin’s peatlands under climate change
1
Nature-based solutions to climate change mitigation and adaptation in urban areas and their rural surroundings
Workshop at Insel Vilm – 10th March 2015
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 2
What is a peatland?
Water- table
Anaerobic environment slowing the rate of decomposition
Definition of peatland soil (German Classification)
≥ 30 cm Thickness
≥ 30 masse-% Organic matter
(Foto: Zeitz)
Peat-Forming
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 3
Huge pools for soil organic carbon (SOC)
covering only 3 % of the earth‘s surface,
storing 1/3 of whole SOC
Why are peatlands so important?
BUT:
Also including other ecosystem functions providing
diverse and important ecosystem services (ESS)
Climate protection (global CO2 storage), climate regulation
(local cooling), regulation of nutrients and water, habitat for
endangered and unique species, space for recreation…
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science
Foto: Succow 1978
Peat loss of 0,8 m within 10 years caused by intensive use (Große Rosin am Kummerower See)
4
in densely populated landscapes
often drained, intensively used for farming or peat excavation
Why peatland research matters?
Alnus glutinosa standing on ‚stilts‘
Foto: Zauft
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 5
Why peatland research matters?
C-sinks C-sources (considerable emissions of CO2, N2O…)
Decrease of various other ESS (or turning into „disservices“ )
The need for reliable data of different processes and controls
considering the broad variety of peatland soils
Drainage of peatlands
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 6
Peatlands differ in peat-forming vegetation
Sphagnum and Eriophorum Alnus and Carex
Foto: Heller Foto: Heller
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 7
Peatlands differ in landuse
Protected area Intensive cultivation
- Minerotrophic Fens -
Foto: Heller Foto: Heller
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 8
Peatland soils in urban areas and their surroundings…
… intensively used (influenced by groundwater lowering)
… hydrological and pedological attributes strongly modified
‚Hot-spots‘ of ecosystem services in urban environments
… contrasting zones due to special fauna and flora
… regulation of landscape hydrology and local climate
… favourite spaces for recreation
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 9
What is missing in Berlin…
… current knowledge about peatland conditions and their distribution
… general approach to promote environmental relief and
… a strategy of climate change mitigation for peatlands
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 10
Gr. und Kl. Rohrpfuhl
Lietzengraben/ Bogenseekette
Tegeler Fließ
Teufsbruch
Grunewald- moore
Gosener Wiesen
Krumme Laake, Pelzlaake
Erpetal
Neue Wiesen
Teufelsseemoor
Moore am Müggelsee
Berlin peatlands
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 11
Aim of the project
Provisioning Services Supporting Service
Habitat for flora and fauna
Regulating Services
Climate protection, Filtering of nutrients/pollutants, Cooling, Water retention
Cultural Services
• System of indicators for the assessment of ESS in (urban) peatlands
• Identification of management strategies
„Berlin‘s peatlands under climate change“ („Berliner Moorböden im Klimawandel“)
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 12
System of indicators
Water table
Our input parameters
Vegetation
Soil
Assessment of ESS
Three level rating scheme
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science
Climate protection
Habitat Service
Filtering of nutrients/pollutants
Water retention
Cooling
13
Development of a system of indicators…
ESS assessment on a detailed scale (1:5.000)
Climate protection
Habitat Service
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 14
ESS: Climate Protection
Climate protection through carbon accumulation –
a „historical“service
Fundamental question:
How much C was removed from the atmosphere which is stored in Berlin‘s peatlands since the last 10.000 years?
How can we measure and assess this C-pool? Input Parameter:
• Thickness of organic layers • Organic C concentrations • Bulk densities
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 15
C-Storage
Modular System
HSK und ZG Corg [t*ha-1*dm-1]
nHm:Ha 9-10 135,50
nHv:Ha 9-10 136,90
nHa:Hnr 7-8 121,21
nHa:Ha 9-10 107,69 More Information
www.carbstor.de (in German)
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 16
C-storage: Looking into peatland soils
Example: (climate protection through carbon storage - a „historical“ service)
Deep peat Peat depth > 4 m
C-pool > 2.000 t * ha-1
Flat peat Peat depth = 30 cm
C-pool < 100 t * ha-1
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 17
Climate protection
C-storage „historical“ service of climate protection
Kleine Pelzlaake Teufelsfenn
Legend
high (< 900 t*ha-1)
very high
extremely high (> 1.800 t*ha-1)
C-storage 3.800 t*ha-1
C-storage 2.000 t*ha-1
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 18
ESS: Habitat service
Fundamental question:
How much area is provided as habitat for typical wetland species (biodiversity)?
How do we measure and assess this? Input parameter:
• Water table • C/N-ratio (trophic level) • Current structure of biotop • Deviation from ‚ideal type ‘
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 19
Habitat
service
Habitat Service
Legend
Kleine Pelzlaake
Teufelsfenn
good
medium
bad
n.s.
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 20
Management strategies in Berlin
General strategies to improve water supply & to re-establish characteristic wetland species
• Removal or locking of ditches
• Removal of trees which are not site-specific
• Removal of degraded topsoil horizons
• Artificial water supply by constructions
• Annual cutting: support of threatened plant species (brown mosses; orchis…)
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 21
Management strategies – Case study
Monitoring of Kleine Pelzlaake during restoration
Legend
good medium bad
Assessment of Habitat Service
Restoration before
after
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 22
Management strategies – Case study
Monitoring of Kleine Pelzlaake during restoration
Project costs 79.300 €
CO2-compensation 45 t CO2-eq. / year
Cost of reduction 32 € / t CO2-eq.
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 23
Former treeless peatland `Krumme Laake`
Foto: Thrum
Site management: Removal of trees
Aim: Support for remaining Sphagnum-mosses
and improvement of the water supply
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 24
Brown moss segde reed (Tegeler Fließtal/Berlin)
Foto: Klingenfuß
Site management: Annual cutting (September)
Aims: Preservation from trees and shrubs;
biomass and nutrient removal
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 25
Brown moss segde reed in the Tegeler Fließtal/Berlin
Site management: Annual mowing in September
Aims: Preservation from trees and shrubs;
biomass and nutrient removal
New Peat formation upon a buried peatland supported by annual cutting (September)
Foto: Klingenfuß
Brown moss segde reed (Bäkewiese/Berlin)
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 26
Teufelsfenn (Grunewald/Berlin)
Teufelsfenn
Teufelssee
Groundwater supply by a closed down waterwork
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science 27
Outcomes
• Umweltatlas Berlin http://www.stadtentwicklung.berlin.de/umwelt/umweltatlas/
• Project website (German/English) http://www.berlinermoore.hu-berlin.de/
• System of indicators assessing ESS of urban peatlands
• Results important for selection of management strategies
• ESS assessment system offers possibility for long-term monitoring programs
Published in
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Division of Soil Science and Site Science
Contact:
Christian Heller (Tel.: +4930-2093 46492)
Diana Möller (Tel.: +4930-2093 46491)
Thank you for your attention!
28