Summary
This analytical study examined how hydrological management alters peat organic matter chemistry in a Finnish ombrotrophic bog by comparing paired natural and drained sites using pyrolysis-GC/MS alongside vegetation, isotopic, and radiocarbon analysis. Drainage-induced shifts in peat chemistry were driven simultaneously by two mechanisms: increased aerobic decomposition (affecting phenols and polysaccharides) and vegetation shifts from Sphagnum to pine (increasing lignin and nitrogen compounds). The findings suggest peat chemical composition serves as a sensitive indicator of drainage-related decomposition status and greenhouse gas release potential.
UK applicability
The mechanisms identified may be relevant to UK peatland management decisions, particularly regarding drainage-based land use changes in upland regions. However, applicability is limited by differences in bog type (this study examined ombrotrophic systems) and climate; UK peatlands include blanket bogs and lowland fens with different vegetation and hydrology.
Key measures
Pyrolysis product quantification (phenols, polysaccharides, lignin, lipids, N-compounds); elemental analysis (O:C, N:C ratios); stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N); fraction radiocarbon; principal component analysis of organic matter composition
Outcomes reported
The study characterised chemical composition differences in peat organic matter between natural and drained bog sites using pyrolysis-GC/MS, identifying how drainage altered decomposition pathways and vegetation composition. Drainage increased aerobic decomposition (reducing Sphagnum phenols and simple polysaccharides, accumulating macromolecular polysaccharides) and shifted vegetation from Sphagnum to Pinus sylvestris, reflected in increased lignin, nitrogen compounds, and lipids.
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