High-resolution wetness index mapping: A useful tool for regional scale wetland management

Wetland ecosystems are key habitats for carbon sequestration, biodiversity and ecosystem services, yet in many they localities have been subject to modification or damage. In recent years, there has been increasing focus on effective management and, where possible, restoration of wetlands. Whilst this is highly laudable, practical implementation is limited by the high costs and unpredictable rates of success. Accordingly, there is a need for spatial information to guide restoration, ideally at the regional scale that land managers operate. In this study, we use high-resolution Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)-derived elevation, in conjunction with regional soil and land cover maps, to model the wetness potential of an area of conservation importance in north-west England. We use the Compound Topographic Index (CTI) as a measure for the site-specific wetness and potential to be receptive to wetland restoration. The resulting model is in agreement with the regional-scale distribution of wetlands and is clearly influenced by the topographic and soil parameters. An assessment of three representative case studies highlights the small scale features that determine the potential wetness of an area. For each site, the model results conform to the expected patterns of wetness, highlighting restoration and management activity. Furthermore, areas showing high potential wetness that may be suitable for wetland habitat creation, are highlighted. The increasing availability of LiDAR data at regional and national scales will allow studies of this nature to be undertaken at previously unobtainable resolutions. Simple models, such as implemented here, benefit from explainability and relatability and have clear potential for use by managers and conservation agencies involved in wetland restoration

Sphagnum restoration on degraded blanket and raised bogs in the UK using micropropagated source material: a review of progress

There is a growing demand for a supply of Sphagnum to re-introduce to degraded peatlands. However, available supplies of Sphagnum of the desired species are often limited. We describe the propagation of Sphagnum from vegetative material in sterile tissue culture and the introduction of juvenile mosses into the field. Sphagnum produced in the laboratory in three different forms (beads, gel and plugs) was introduced to different peatland surfaces on upland degraded blanket bog and lowland cut-over peatland in northern England. On degraded blanket bog, the establishment of mixed-species Sphagnum plugs was typically 99 % while the survival of beads was much lower, ranging from little above zero on bare eroding peat to a maximum of 12 % on stabilised peat surfaces. On lowland cut-over peatland, all trials took place on peat with an expanding cover of Eriophorum angustifolium and tested Sphagnum gel as well as beads and plugs. This work showed that survival and establishment of plugs was high (99 %) and greater than for beads. Sphagnum gel reached a cover of 95 % in two years. The vegetative micropropagation of Sphagnum offers an effective source of Sphagnum for re-introduction to degraded peatlands

Restoration and recovery of Sphagnum on degraded blanket bog

1. The blanket bogs of the southern Pennines and Peak District are severely degraded, attributed to centuries of poor land management, wildfire and atmospheric pollution. Restoration efforts have focussed on the revegetation of bare and eroding peat surfaces, with considerable success. 2. Sphagnum mosses provide the form and function of blanket bog, with their remains making up the majority of the peat body. These species were lost from the region and remain largely absent, despite restoration efforts. 3. As a keystone species of peatlands, their return is essential to the continued provision of ecosystem services derived from these uplands. Hence, their reintroduction is of great importance. 4. Preliminary trials determined Sphagnum can be reintroduced to numerous degraded conditions found on blanket peat, with S. fallax the best performing species. Water availability was strongly implicated as a significant factor, with drought proving fatal to propagules. In areas of dense vegetation, flailing has the potential to increase establishment, but requires further verification. 5. Growth trials indicated the legacy of atmospheric pollution was still exerting influence upon the growth of Sphagnum. Peat from the southern Pennines region was shown to contain elevated concentration of numerous pollutant heavy metals and nutrients. A comparative study of some UK bogs demonstrated the consequences of biogeochemical characteristics, whilst further implicating the importance of water availability in degraded sites. 6. The potential of Sphagnum reintroduction to degraded sites was demonstrated, within the constraints of shorter time scales. Over longer periods, with increased experimentation and subsequent monitoring, further understanding will undoubtedly be gathered. It is essential this knowledge is shared, updated and applied by conservation agencies and parties conducting such work