Publication in limnology: Aquatic effects of peat extraction and peatland forest drainage: a comparative sediment study of two adjacent lakes in Central Finland
Aquatic effects of peat extraction and peatland forest drainage: a comparative sediment study of two adjacent lakes in Central Finland. Environmental Earth Sciences 75: 1473. DOI: 10.1007/s12665-016-6278-x
The aquatic effects of forestry practices and peat extraction continue
to cause serious concerns. The effect mechanisms of peat extraction on
water quality and aquatic ecology of the receiving surface waters are
well known, but the impacts are often difficult to differentiate from
those of forest management. A pairwise temporal sediment study was
conducted on two adjacent lakes in Central Finland to study whether the
unique effects of peat extraction can be detected in an area of
intensive forest drainage. Both lakes are affected by forestry, but the
reference lake has no history of peat extraction in its watershed. The
deepest parts of the lakes were cored through the lacustrine sediments,
and the recent carbon and dry matter sedimentation rates were compared
to their site-specific reference values. Recent changes in benthic
macroinvertebrates (chironomids) and diatom algae were studied to assess
the ecological effects of these practices in the lakes. No significant
differences in recent increases in carbon accumulation were found
between the peat extraction-impacted lake and the reference lake. The
pairwise comparison allowed identification of a regional pattern of
impacts that is closely related to the history of land use, particularly
forestry, in the region. The approach also allowed identification of
the transient signs of peat extraction in the chemical and chironomid
records of the impacted lake. The recent changes in chironomids and
diatoms suggest eutrophication and deterioration in benthic conditions
likely caused by drainage ditch network maintenance activities in the
catchments.
(Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12665-016-6278-x)
Comments
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comment. Due to an increased number of spam comments, we have felt the need to moderate this section. Your comment will appear in up to 72h. Thank you for your understanding.
Kind regards
Young ISDR