KLIMZUG-NORD, Subproject 3.7-AP3: Effects of climate change on peatlands
Overall project
The KLIMZUG-NORD project was supported by a project consortium of 13 universities, 11 public authorities and institutions close to public authorities as well as 10 companies from the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. Within Universität Hamburg, 9 working groups participated.
The goals of the overall project were
- the development of techniques and methods to mitigate the impacts of climate change and to adapt society and the economy to the increased risks posed by climate change
- the development of strategies and concepts with which these methods can be integrated into regional planning and development processes
- the presentation of the costs, effectiveness and efficiency of these strategies and of approaches to civil society, the environment and the economy
- the preparation of the Master Plan Climate Impact Management in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region for the time horizon 2050.
The 25 subprojects of KLIMZUG-NORD were divided into the three thematic areas T1 - estuary management, T2 - integrated urban and spatial development and T3 - sustainable cultural landscapes; in addition, there were five cross-cutting areas.
Subproject T3.7-AP3: Effects of climate change on soil hydrology, peat formation and depletion as well as mass balance in peatlands
Soil science research in the KLIMZUG-NORD network has provided new insights into the release of climate-relevant trace gases from restored peatlands. To this end, a restored raised bog area in the Himmelmoor near Quickborn was equipped with a soil and climate measuring station, and summer drought was simulated. For this, the fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) were quantified, and nitrogen availability was studied in situ and in laboratory experiments. The hydrology was recorded via water level probes. Based on the annual balance of CO2 uptake and release, it was possible to determine the peat formation or depletion as intended. The results show that the CO2 sink function has not yet been restored by renaturation and that extremely high methane emission is currently taking place (Vanselow-Algan, 2014). Furthermore, it can be inferred from the findings that Molinea caerulea (pipegrass) will continue to spread due to climate change and that the CO2 sink function at these pipegrass sites will probably deteriorate.
Publications
- Vanselow-Algan, M., Schmidt, S.R., Greven, M., Fiencke, C., Kutzbach, L., Pfeiffer, E.-M., 2015. High methane emissions dominated annual greenhouse gas balances 30 years after bog rewetting. Biogeosciences, 12, 4361-4371. doi: 10.5194/bg-12-4361-2015
- Vanselow-Algan, M., 2014. Impact of summer drought on greenhouse gas fluxes and nitrogen availability in a restored bog ecosystem with different plant communities. Dissertation [Ph.D. thesis] Universität Hamburg, Institute of Soil Science. Hamburger Bodenkundliche Arbeiten 73, VIII + 103 S.
Theses
- Herrmann, N., 2010. Pflanzenvermittelte CH4-Emission auf Hochmoorstandorten. BSc thesis Universität Hamburg, Institute of Soil Science.
- Kalinski, K., 2010. Nährstoffgehalt der Moorbirke und möglicher Eintrag in Hochmoore. BSc thesis Universität Hamburg, Institute of Soil Science.
- Schneidereit, S., 2010. Messung der Bodenatmung von Hochmoortorfproben am Sapromaten. BSc thesis Universität Hamburg, Institute of Soil Science.
- Schwarzer, M., 2010. Einfluss von Birkentotholz auf den Nährstoffeintrag in Hochmooren. BSc thesis Universität Hamburg, Institute of Soil Science.
Employees at the Institute of Soil Science
- Laboratory assistant: Birgit Grabellus
- Duration: 04.2009 - 03.2014
- Project lead: Prof. i.R. Dr. Eva-Maria Pfeiffer, Dr. Claudia Fiencke
- Sponsor: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Rahmenprogramm FONA „Forschung für Nachhaltige Entwicklungen“, Forschungsprogramm "KLIMZUG – Klimawandel in Regionen zukunftsfähig gestalten"