Subsidence and degradation of agricultural peatlands in the Fenlands of Norfolk, UK

Dawson, Q.; Kechavarzi, Cédric; Leeds‐Harrison, P. B.; Burton, R.G.O.

doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2009.09.017

Cited by 65 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…The calibrated peat oxidation coefficient results in a subsidence of 10.5 mm per meter of unsaturated peat soil per year and is also on the lower side of the empirically obtained peat oxidation rate of 15 mm reported by Van der Meulen et al (2007). Subsidence rates are in line with estimates for peat soils under extensive used pasture (5 mm year − 1 ) or under managed grasslands (10 mm year − 1 ) in Sweden (Berglund and Berglund, 2010), and on the lower side of estimates for East Anglian Fenlands, UK, ranging from 9 to 19 mm year − 1 (Dawson et al, 2010).…”

Section: Model Calibrationsupporting

confidence: 82%

Modeling the subsidence of peat soils in the Dutch coastal area

2012

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Section: Model Calibrationsupporting

confidence: 82%

Modeling the subsidence of peat soils in the Dutch coastal area

2012

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“…However, we need to include the aspect of rigidity in all our modeling approaches also because the shrink–swell processes alter the reference volume and may result in a complete overestimation of, for example, flux processes (Horn et al, 2014) Similarly, drainage of peatlands and soft organic soils causes substantial consolidation that adversely impacts their physical support service (Schwarzel et al, 2002). The latter is further exacerbated by progressive organic matter loss from drained soils (Dawson et al, 2010).…”

Section: Soil Modeling and Ecosystem Servicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling Soil Processes: Review, Key Challenges, and New Perspectives

Vereecken

Schnepf

Hopmans

et al. 2016

Vadose Zone Journal

541

394

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The remarkable complexity of soil and its importance to a wide range of ecosystem services presents major challenges to the modeling of soil processes. Although major progress in soil models has occurred in the last decades, models of soil processes remain disjointed between disciplines or ecosystem services, with considerable uncertainty remaining in the quality of predictions and several challenges that remain yet to be addressed. First, there is a need to improve exchange of knowledge and experience among the different disciplines in soil science and to reach out to other Earth science communities. Second, the community needs to develop a new generation of soil models based on a systemic approach comprising relevant physical, chemical, and biological processes to address critical knowledge gaps in our understanding of soil processes and their interactions. Overcoming these challenges will facilitate exchanges between soil modeling and climate, plant, and social science modeling communities. It will allow us to contribute to preserve and improve our assessment of ecosystem services and advance our understanding of climate-change feedback mechanisms, among others, thereby facilitating and strengthening communication among scientific disciplines and society. We review the role of modeling soil processes in quantifying key soil processes that shape ecosystem services, with a focus on provisioning and regulating services. We then identify key challenges in modeling soil processes, including the systematic incorporation of heterogeneity and uncertainty, the integration of data and models, and strategies for effective integration of knowledge on physical, chemical, and biological soil processes. We discuss how the soil modeling community could best interface with modern modeling activities in other disciplines, such as climate, ecology, and plant research, and how to weave novel observation and measurement techniques into soil models. We propose the establishment of an international soil modeling consortium to coherently advance soil modeling activities and foster communication with other Earth science disciplines. Such a consortium should promote soil modeling platforms and data repository for model development, calibration and intercomparison essential for addressing contemporary challenges.

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“…Drainage and conversion of peatlands into agricultural land is the most important degradation factor that has progressed in Europe since the middle ages and which has accelerated in the 20th century (Van Diggelen, Middleton, Bakker, Grootjans, & Wassen, ). This action has generated changes in peatland and catchment hydrology (Holden, Evans, Burt, & Horton, ; Lamers et al., ) and water quality, both within the peat body and in the surface waters nearby (Dawson, Kechavarzi, Leeds‐Harrison, & Burton, ; Heathwaite, ). Drainage results in shrinkage and mineralization of peat (Pfadenhauer & Klotzli, ), leading to a transformation of non‐mobile organic‐bound phosphorus (P) and carbon (C) to mobile forms, which subsequently leads to eutrophication and worsening of water quality downstream (Zak, Wagner, Payer, Augustin, & Gelbrecht, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Top soil removal reduces water pollution from phosphorus and dissolved organic matter and lowers methane emissions from rewetted peatlands

Zak

Goldhammer

Cabezas

et al. 2017

Journal of Applied Ecology

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A valid strategy to mitigate the eutrophication of water bodies due to non‐point source phosphorus (P) pollution and to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases is the rewetting of degraded peatlands. However, long‐term drainage and intensive agricultural use make it unlikely that the original sink functions for nutrients and carbon (C) as well as low‐nutrient conditions can be re‐established within a human time perspective. We hypothesized that the removal of the upper degraded peat layer can be a suitable measure to avoid the negative implications of excess mobilization of P and C after rewetting. To evaluate the effect of top soil removal (TSR) we performed lab and field experiments in six inundated peatlands in northern Germany without TSR compared to six inundated sites with TSR. In addition, we included data from a rewetted peatland where the degraded peat had been removed from about half of the area and groundwater level was just beneath the soil surface. The results emphasized that following inundation newly formed detritus mud layers overlying the former peat surface are the dominating source for P and methane in particular in sites without TSR but also in sites with TSR, although at significantly lower rates. Although highly decomposed peat released more or less no methane, dissolved organic matter mobilization was highest in this substrate while less decomposed peat was characterized in general by lowest rates of mobilization. Synthesis and applications. Top soil removal prior to rewetting can be a suitable method to avoid the negative consequences of the excess release of phosphorus (P) and carbon post‐rewetting. We developed a simple decision support schematic to assist the peatland restoration process and to better understand the implications of top soil removal. Despite the potential benefits, top soil removal should not be declared as a universal method, as it requires detailed consideration prior to application. However, this and other research demonstrate that it is inevitable that without any further management interventions high mobilization of P, dissolved organic matter and methane may persist for centuries following rewetting of peatlands.

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Subsidence and degradation of agricultural peatlands in the Fenlands of Norfolk, UK

Cited by 65 publications

References 26 publications

Modeling the subsidence of peat soils in the Dutch coastal area

Modeling the subsidence of peat soils in the Dutch coastal area

Modeling Soil Processes: Review, Key Challenges, and New Perspectives

Top soil removal reduces water pollution from phosphorus and dissolved organic matter and lowers methane emissions from rewetted peatlands

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