Biometeorology Lab

Study Sites


Laiuse

Rewetted former peat extraction site (4 treatments where the water level is above the ground at different levels: 0-10 cm, 20-30cm, 30-50 cm, 100 cm) and control site. The restoration was done in 2019.

Site PI Ain Kull (ain.kull@ut.ee)

  • Size: 

I treatment (0-10 cm) – 4.8 ha

II treatment (20-30cm) – 3.4 ha

III treatment (30-50 cm) – 1.2 ha

IV treatment (100 cm) –  16 ha

Control site –  5.2 ha     

  • Coordinates: 58.789790, 26.528773


Ess-soo

Revegetation former peat extraction site.

Site PI Ain Kull (ain.kull@ut.ee)

  • Challenge: The former peat extraction site was restored by raising WL and mechanized sowing of peat moss to facilitate revegetation, which is otherwise a very slow (>20–30 years), unpredictable process.
  • Solution: Cross-scale (ground measurement, drone image, satellite image) vegetation and GHGE monitoring to verify reduced GHGE and carbon sequestration. 
  • Expected outcomes:Quantified GHG and biodiversity impacts of raising WL or sowing plant fragments. 
  • Transferability: Knowledge of the abundant peat mining field (thickness and type of peat layer, water table depth and surface layer moisture, distance from vegetated areas, etc.) can accelerate the vegetation towards the desired communities by raising the water level or sowing plant fragments. Restoring milling peatlands supports the development of vegetation – increases biodiversity.
  • Size: 100 ha
  • Coordinates: 57.914111, 26.689694 

Kuresoo

Rewetted forestry-drained peatland

Site PI Kaido Soosaar (kaido.soosaar@ut.ee)

  • Challenge: Kuresoo bog restoration action is an example in Estonia where it will be possible to assess the impact of hydrological regime restoration on Sphagnum moss growth and the effectiveness of different damming technologies.
  • Solution: With a higher water level, the CO2 emissions decrease, but CH4 and N2O increase, in opposite in low groundwater level CO2 emissions increase.
  • Expected outcomes: Rewetting will reduce GHG emissions by XX%. Increasing biodiversity.
  • Transferability: Proposed method is relevant in all countries where peatlands have been drained for forestry.
  • Size: 80 ha
  • Coordinates: 58.488889, 25.234167

Agali II

Forestry-drained peat.

Site PI Ülo Mander (ulo.mander@ut.ee)

  • Challenge: The site in Agali is located in the Järvselja Training and Experimental Forestry District, Estonia. This is a 40-50 years old Downy birch forest on a N-rich peat and together with 8 other drained peatland forest sites in the neighborhood with existing dataset of greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes and relevant environmental parameters (2013-2016) can be considered as a Järvselja Living Lab. The SMEAR Estonia station which is also located in the region can have a supporting role.
  • Solution: The Agali Downy birch peatland site is planned for the detail process analysis of the impact of water level manipulations on the greenhouse gas emissions. It is equipped with eddy tower (Fig. 2 for all 3 GHGs (LiCor for N2O + Aerodyne for CH4 & N2O), automated chambers for soil fluxes of all 3 GHGs (Picarro-connected) and tree stem chambers at 4 heights (Fig. 2), and two experimental plots (3 replicates in each) for water level manipulation (flooding and drying) in combination with freezing-thawing experiments.
  • Expected outcomes: Elevated water level will reduce peat mineralisation hence CO2 flux from the soil. The experimental plots (Fig. 4) enable to analyse the effect of soil moisture (water level) and freezing-thaw cycles on GHG gas fluxes. Isotope analyses (15N and 13C) and microbiome studies will be used for partitioning fluxes between the N2O source processes and CH4 production and consumption.
  • Transferability: To analyse the long-term impact of the flooding on all ecosystem compartments, we plan to flood the forest section in the neighbourhood of eddy tower. The adjacent Apna river can be used for that purpose. The proposed method is relevant in all countries where peatlands have been drained for forestry.
  • Size: 3,5 ha
  • Coordinates: 58.29088, 27.318230

Vända

Constructed wetland

Site PI Kuno Kasak (kuno.kasak@ut.ee)

  • Challenge: Agricultural runoff degrades water quality and causes eutrophication of surface, marine and freshwater; hence, it is important to the reduce the impact of anthropogenic eutrophication in continental waters and at the coastal zone.
  • Solution: Constructed wetlands (CW) can be used as an effective measure for water quality improvement. Also provides an opportunity to successfully create or restore valuable wetlands habitat for wildlife use and environmental enhancement. Restored wetlands are used to improve water quality of wastewater, agricultural runoff or buffering and treating stormwater. When constructed wetlands are used for these purposes there is a need for monitoring to ensure the maintenance of the wetland systems
  • Expected outcomes: Constructed wetlands treating agricultural runoff sequester C and nutrients into ecosystem and also provide habitat for a variety of wildlife species.
  • Transferability: Constructed wetlands can be designed in a variety of system types and configurations to meet specific needs. These systems are cost-effective and easily operated and maintained.
  • Size: 0,5 ha
  • Coordinates: 58.282426, 26.721543

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accept Cookies