Peatland Ecology and Forestry - a Sound Approach 2012

Juhani Päivänen, Björn Hånell

Helsinki 2012

268 pages

ISBN 978-952-10-4531-8

CONTENTS

Preface

1 Introduction

2 Mires, peatlands and wetlands – terms and concepts
2.1 Peat – sequently deposited plant residues
2.2 Mire and peatland – living ecosystem and organic soil class
2.3 Wetland – a wide concept for wet terrain

3 Quantity of mires, peatlands and peat
3.1 Mires and peatlands worldwide
3.2 Mires and peatlands in Finland
 3.2.1 Mire areas and their use
 3.2.2 Peat resources
3.3 Mires and peatlands in Sweden
 3.3.1 Mire areas and their use
 3.3.2 Peat resources
3.4 Mires and peatlands in Norway

4 Mire ecosystem
4.1 Mire initiation
 4.1.1 Successional pathways
 4.1.2 Prerequisites for terrestrialization
 4.1.3 Prerequisites for paludification
 4.1.4 Prevalence of different successional pathways of mire initiation – the Finnish case
4.2 Function of mire ecosystem and peat accumulation
 4.2.1 Development of mire ecosystem and origin of water
 4.2.2 Functioning of mire ecosystem
 4.2.3 Special characteristics of mire plant communities
 4.2.4 Carbon dynamics
 4.2.5 Carbon accumulation
4.3 Peat soil as substrate
 4.3.1 Physical structure
 4.3.2 Water in peat soil
 4.3.3 Thermal conditions in peat soil
 4.3.4 Nutrient regimes in peat soil

5 Mire hydrology
5.1 Concepts
5.2 Hydrology of pristine mires
 5.2.1 Ecohydrology
 5.2.2 Groundwater and soil water
 5.2.3 Acrotelm and catotelm
 5.2.4 Do mires regulate floods?
 5.2.5 How is water kept in a raised bog?
 5.2.6 Evapotranspiration
 5.2.7 Runoff
5.3 Soil water and tree growth
 5.3.1 Forest stand and groundwater table
 5.3.2 Anaerobic conditions
 5.3.3 Theory for drainage
 5.3.4 Operational drainage recommendations
 5.3.5 Ditch spacing and stand growth
 5.3.6 Forest stand and drainage depth
5.4 Hydrology of peatlands drained for forestry
 5.4.1 Effects of drainage
 5.4.2 Effects of silvicultural treatments
 5.4.3 Effects of forest fertilization
 5.4.4 Effects of improvement ditching
 5.4.5 Combined effects of forestry measures

6 Mire and peatland classification
6.1 Plant communities reflecting site quality
6.2 Mire and peatland classification in Finland
6.3 Mire and peatland classification in Sweden
6.4 Mire and peatland classification in Norway
6.5 Uniform mire and peatland classification system – desired or not?
6.6 Mire complex types

7 Peatland forestry – emphasis on the Nordic countries
7.1 Early history
7.2 Towards operational-scale forest drainage
7.3 Drainage techniques
7.4 Status of peatland forestry
 7.4.1 Finland
 7.4.2 Sweden
 7.4.3 Norway
7.5 Justification of mire utilization for forestry
 7.5.1 Mires as renewable resources of wood
 7.5.2 Intensity levels of peatland forestry
 7.5.3 Criteria for decision making

8 Forests on peatlands
8.1 Forests on pristine mires
 8.1.1 Ecological basis
 8.1.2 Outward appearance of mire trees
 8.1.3 Stand structure
 8.1.4 Silviculture on pristine mires
8.2 Specific characteristics of forests on drained peatlands
 8.2.1 From a mire ecosystem towards a drained peatland forest
 8.2.2 Drainage and development of forest stands
 8.2.3 Raw wood properties on drained peatlands
8.3 Silviculture on drained peatlands
 8.3.1 Young stand treatment
 8.3.2 Mixed stands
 8.3.3 Downy birch stands
 8.3.4 Thinning
 8.3.5 Regeneration
 8.3.6 Afforestation
 8.3.7 Fertilization
8.4 Forest damage and its control
 8.4.1 Growth disturbances
 8.4.2 Spring frost damage
 8.4.3 Wind damage
 8.4.4 Mammal damage
 8.4.5 Insect damage
 8.4.6 Fungal damage
8.5 Maintenance of forest drainage areas
 8.5.1 Maintaining sufficient drainage
 8.5.2 Steering stand development

9 Other forms of mire utilization
9.1 Mire conservation
9.2 Gathering products
 9.2.1 Berries
 9.2.2 Mushrooms
 9.2.3 Other gathering products
9.3 Game
9.4 Agriculture on peatlands
9.5 Peat harvesting
9.6 Restoration of managed peatlands
 9.6.1 Concepts and targets
 9.6.2 Restoration of peatlands drained for forestry
 9.6.3 Restoration of cut-away peatlands

Literature
Unpublished sources of information
Citations to published works of fiction
Subject index