Dear All,
We have now had 25! talks submitted for TT7 wetland restoration / Session
33 Wetland Ecology. TT7 will be all day Tuesday (starting only at 11:30
after the Tansley lecture), Session 33 cannot be Wednesday as that day is
reserved for special topic group meetings (e.g. MRG annual meeting), site
visits, the BES lecture etc…). Thus Session 33 is on the Thursday
starting in the morning. It appears to me that nearly all the talks
relate to wetland restoration but as TT7 can only contain the equivalent
of 16 20 min talks, 10 speakers will be on the Thursday. To increase the
chance of people from TT7 of staying until the Thursday we are going to
have our site visit on the Wednesday (rather than the Monday as originally
planned). For your info and in advance of the official programme I am
detailing below the order and day of speakers. There is some logic in the
order – it starts with the introduction of large peatland restoration
projects (Iraq and UK), followed by practical experience of various
restoration techniques (successes and failures), followed by the effect of
restoration on organisms (including invertebrates and microbial
communities).
On the Thursday morning hydrological and vegetation monitoring
underpinning restoration, followed by talks relating restoration to
organic matter, decomposition and biochemical cycling. Below I have
listed the talks in the proposed order. Some talks only have the title
included here as some speakers only sent their abstract to the BES (and
did not send a copy to me). The BES tells me we can change the title of
session 33 if it is deemed inappropriate (as I had asked them to cancel
the Wetland Ecology general session).
I would also welcome some offers or suggestions for session chairs. We
will need 2 or 3 for the Tuesday and 1 or 2 for the Thursday. (I have had
one offer of a chair so far- thanks Penny).
The field visit is still planned for Otmoor but I have yet to do something
about it. Could you please inform me if you are interested so that I know
whether we need a coach or a minibus and so that I can give RSPB an
indication of numbers.
Thanks for all your support.
Best wishes,
Deborah
Tuesday am (starting at 11:30)
1. Restoration of the Mesopotamian Marshes of Iraq (40 min)
Curtis J. Richardson (Duke University) & Najah A. Hussein (University of
Basrah, Iraq).
Ninety-three percent of the Mesopotamian marshes of Iraq had been drained
by 2000. High volumes of quality river water entering the Mesopotamian
marshes of Iraq had allowed for 39% of the former marshes to be reflooded
by September 2005. Ecological surveys in 2004-2005 indicated that most
native species of macrophytes, macroinvertebrates, fish and bird species
were recolonizing, although densities were low compared to historical
records, and ecosystem functions were still diminished.
2. Regional to functional dimensions of sustainable marshland restoration
in Mesopotamia
Professor Edward Maltby, University of Liverpool
Restoration of the Mesopotamian marshes depends on a range of regional as
well as national and local scale factors. Experimental results of
variations in N dynamics are used to illustrate an outline functional
classification of ecosystem restoration at the landscape scale. The
system is based on biogeochemical, hydrological and ecological criteria
developed for functional assessment of European wetlands.
3. The Great Fen Project
Gerrard, C., Bowley, A. and Jose P.
One of the most ambitious habitat restoration projects ever undertaken in
Britain will create a 3000ha wetland in Cambridgeshire. The project is a
partnership between English Nature, The Wildlife Trust, Huntingdon
District Council and The Environment Agency. Plans and progress to date in
making the Great Fen vision a reality are presented.
4. Wetland creation by the RSPB
Ausden M, RSPB
RSPB has created and restored large areas of wetland habitat in the UK
including 395 ha of reedbed and 2240 ha of wet grassland. This talk will
describe how the results of research have been translated into action and
highlight the gaps between published research and the needs of
practioners.
Tuesday pm (starting at 14:00)
1. Restoration of bogs altered by afforestation in Britain – practical
activity and new research results
A.R. Anderson and A.J. Peace, Forest Research, UK
Rationale, scale and drivers for practical activity in Britain is
described to set the context. We present results of two experiments
comparing techniques for deforesting and restoring blanket bog and lowland
raised bogs. They test the necessity to remove branches and foliage and
to dam plough furrows.
2. Restoration of Scottish raised bogs: some 'problem sites'.
Olivia Bragg, University of Dundee.
The ‘standard technique’ for raised mire restoration, which involves
removing trees and blocking ditches, has been applied successfully on many
sites in Scotland. This presentation will focus on a couple of failures,
explore reasons, and consider how we might do better in future.
3. Changes in microbial diversity during the restoration of cut-over
peatlands – Can peatland biodiversity recover below-ground?
R.R.E. Artz1, S.J. Chapman1, A.-J. Francez2, Andreas Gattinger3, Brigitte
Hai3 and M. Schloter3
EU Project RECIPE (Reconciling commercial exploitation of peat with
biodiversity in peatland ecosystems)
1 Environmental Sciences Group, The Macaulay Institute, United Kingdom
2 U.M.R.- C.N.R.S., University of Rennes 1, France
3 GSF- Institute of Soil Ecology, Technical University of Munich, Germany
We investigated the changes in the below-ground microbial diversity in
revegetated plots at several different stages in the restoration process
in four European countries. We show that the changes in community
structures of several microbial groups (bacteria, archaea and fungi)
follow a common trajectory related to the regeneration stages. Several
plant community-microbial community associations could be distinguished.
Such moderation of the community structure of microbial decomposers during
peatland regeneration may have implications for the long-term turnover of
soil organic matter, and hence the level of carbon sequestration.
4. Development of invertebrate communities on restored peatland:-
Valerie Standen, Durham University
Following opencast coal extraction at an upland grass heath vegetation was
restored as peatland using variuos techniques including the translocation
of blanket bog. The
development of invertebrate communities on restored and neighbouring
heathland over 15 years is described in relation to restoration techniques.
5. Restoration of wet grassland through installation of surface grips
Acreman et al.
(focus on invertebrates and strong link to planned field visit to Otmoor
on the Wednesday)
6. Removing Management From Our Upland Peatlands - How Wild Could It Get
Out There?
Sarah Ross, Gerard Hawley, Miranda Cowan, Ilona Weir, Paul Fisher and
Sacha Rogers
Penny Anderson Associates Ltd
Following a literature review on the potential effects of removal of
management from upland peatland habitat types, PAA was commissioned by
English Nature to undertake surveys of a selection of unmanaged upland
peatland sites. This paper presents the results and conclusions of that
work
7. Spatio-Temporal Trends in Natural Blanket Peat Revegetation:
Application to Blanket Bog Restoration Practice
Crowe, S. K
SED, Geography, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL
Natural Revegetation in the Peak District National Park is both extensive
and diverse and contradicts reports that there is little recovery of the
highly eroded Peat landscape. This research aims to characterise using
modified palaeoecological techniques and aerial photography, the spatial
and temporal variation in observed natural peat gully revegetation.
8. Wetland restoration for biodiversity or environmental quality:
landscape considerations
J.T.A. Verhoeven
Wetlands restoration in catchments often aims for biodiversity enhancement
or the improvement of water quality. The efficacy of restoration measures
is strongly dependent on the position of wetlands in the landscape and the
hydrological and biotic connectivity between individual wetland sites.
This paper will investigate the feasibility of restoration of landscape
connectivity.
9. Wetland creation for biodiversity benefit and water quality improvement.
Seb Buckton and Rob McInnes
Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, GL2 7BT, UK
The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust manages eleven constructed wetland systems,
designed to deliver water quality and biodiversity targets. We describe
the systems, present results on water quality, make recommendations on
design and management and describe wetland biodiversity benefits.
Recommendations on integrating biodiversity benefits into constructed
wetland design are proposed.
10. Blanket bog restoration on a large scale
Penny Anderson
Penny Anderson Associates Ltd.
As part of United Utilities' Sustainable Catchment Management Project
(SCaMP), large scale restoration of the hydrology and vegetation of
blanket bog is to be undertaken in the Peak District and Bowland. This
paper will describe the five year hydrological, water quality and
vegetation monitoring plan.
11. Hydrological monitoring in the Goyt Valley as part of SCAMP
Gerard Hawley, Andy Keen, Pete Worrall
Penny Anderson Associates Ltd
This paper describes the hydrological programme devised to monitor changes
in water quality, suspended solids, discharge and upland peatland
groundwater levels as part of United Utilities SCAMP. Specific reference
will be made to monitoring in the Goyt Valley in the Peak District.
Wednesday visit to Otmoor (+ Cothill fen?)
Thursday (am – first thing I think)
1. Integrating eco-hydrological science for planning large-scale wetland
restoration
Montford JO, Acreman MV & Wadsworth R CEH
2. Using long term monitoring of fen hydrology and vegetation to underpin
wetland restoration strategies: Newham Bog, Northumberland
Large Andy et al. University of Newcastle
3. Restoration of Fen Communities: A North American Perspective
Graf, MD and Rochefort L
Recently, fen restoration projects have been initiated in North America.
Despite the plethora of information on fen restoration in Europe, little
can be transferred to North American projects because of fundamental
differences in the context, problems and goals. The North American
approach to peatland restoration concentrates on the reintroduction of
mosses, which are crucial in restoring the peat-accumulation functions of
peatlands.
4. Crushell, P.H.1, Schouten, M.G.C.2, Smolders, A.J.P. 3, Roelofs, J.G.M.
3and Giller, P.S. 1.
1Department of Zoology, Ecology and Plant Science, University College Cork,
2Plant Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University, The
Netherlands.
3Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Radboud University
Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Minerotrophic soak system of an Irish raised: prospects for restoration
5. The great Ouse Vision
Cowx I et al.
Hull International Fisheries Institute, EN, EA.
6. Recovery of ombrotrophic Sphagnum moss in the South Pennine moorlands
in relation to changing air pollution
Caporn SJM, Carroll JA, Edmondson J, Studholme C, Lee JA
Study of transplants and permanent plots of Sphagnum has recorded
significant recovery of bryophytes in the Southern Pennines over the past
30 years. However, despite the dramatic fall in SO2 levels, there remains
a relative scarcity of bryophytes in this once heavily polluted region,
suggesting involvement of other limiting factors.
.
7. How ‘active’ does a restored bog have to be to act as a carbon sink?
Alistair Headley
The rates of carbon loss from blanket bog where there is drainage, erosion
and/or domestic peat cutting are put into the context of the rates of
carbon sequestration across parts of the mire with intact vegetation. The
implications of the analysis raise serious questions as to what is an
‘active’ blanket bog.
8. Decomposition of plant litter at different water tables in a cut-over
peatland
Trinder, Clare; Artz, Rebekka R.E,; Johnson, Dave
University of Aberdeen, UK; Macaulay Institute
We investigated changes in chemical composition in decomposing plant
litter and associated fungal communities associated with decomposing plant
litter at a cutover peatland. Using five plant species, buried at three
water-tables, harvested over 18 months, we found that plant species is a
greater determinant of changes in the decomposing plant litter than
position of the water-table.
9. Nitrogen and Phosphorus mineralisation in Mediterranean wetlands across
a range of hydroperiod, water salinity and soil organic content
Florin M et al.
10. Restoration of Mediterranean reedbeds: fitting to the rules of the
dry-phase limnology
Florin M et al.
N.B. MAXIMO YOU WILL NEED TO CHANGE THE FIRST AUTHOR ON ONE OF THE TALKS,
AS ONE PERSON IS NOT TO SPEAK TWICE OR ONLY INCLUDE ONE OF THE TALKS.
PLEASE ADVISE.
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