Abstract This thesis examines temporal and spatial variations in the status of different rivers and streams of western Finland in terms of acidity and sources of acid load derived from the catchment area. It also examines the monitoring of acid runoff water derived from maintenance drainage in peatland forestry and suggests potential mitigation methods. A total of 17 river basins of different sizes in western Finland were selected for study, including rivers affected by both drainage of agricultural AS soils and forested peatlands. Old data from 1911–1931 were available, but most data were from the 1960s onwards and were taken from the HERTTA database. During 2009–2011, pH and conductivity measurements and water sampling were conducted. Biological monitoring for ecological classification was conducted in the Sanginjoki river system during 2008 and 2009. Three peatland forestry sites were selected to study acid leaching via pH and EC measurements and water sampling. Fluctuations in groundwater level in different drainage conditions were simulated and acid leaching was investigated in laboratory experiments in order to replicate a situation where the groundwater level drops and allows oxidation of sulphidic materials. It was found that river pH decreased and metal concentrations increased with runoff. The highest acidity observed coincided with periods of intense drainage in the 1970s and after dry summers in the past decade. Together with pH, electric conductivity and sulphate in river water were identified as suitable indicators of AS soils in a catchment, because they directly respond to acid leaching derived from AS soils. Acidity derived from organic acids was clearly observed in catchments dominated by forested peatlands and wetlands. Temporal and spatial variations in ecological status were observed, but monitoring at whole-catchment scale and during consecutive years is needed to increase the reliability of the results. Simulations on the potential effects of maintenance drainage in peatland forestry on runoff water quality showed a clear risk of oxidation of sulphidic materials during dry summers. This can be prevented mainly by avoiding too deep drainage. Knowledge of the hydrochemical impacts of acidic load derived from AS soils and drained peatlands is necessary for land use planning and sustainable water management of river basins affected by these soils. / Tiivistelmä Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan Suomen länsirannikon happamuudesta kärsivien jokivesistöjen tilan ajallista ja paikallista vaihtelua. Tutkimuskohteena on sekä happamien sulfaattimaiden että ojitettujen turvemaiden jokivesistöjä. Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan myös sulfidipitoisilta metsäojitetuilta turvemailta valuvaa happamuutta sekä ehdotetaan tällaisille kohteille soveltuvia keinoja huuhtouman ehkäisemiseksi. Tutkimukseen valittiin 17 erikokoista jokivesistöä, joiden valuma-alueella on sekä happamia sulfaattimaita että metsäojitettuja turvemaita. Varhaisin väitöskirjaan sisällytetty aineisto on vuosilta 1911–1931. HERTTA-tietokannasta poimittiin aineistoa happamuusmuuttujista 1960-luvulta alkaen. Vuosina 2009–2011 suoritettiin pH- ja sähkönjohtavuusmittauksia sekä otettiin vesinäytteitä Siika- ja Pyhäjoen valuma-alueen joista sekä näiden välissä sijaitsevien pienempien valuma-alueiden joista. Ekologisen tilan selvittämiseksi otettiin biologiset näytteet Sanginjoen valuma-alueen joista ja puroista vuosien 2008 ja 2009 aikana. Kunnostusojituskohteilla seurattiin pH:n ja sähkönjohtavuuden muutoksia kokoojaojissa sekä otettiin vesinäytteitä. Pohjaveden pinnan vaihtelua selvitettiin sekä kenttämittauksilla että mallinnuksen avulla. Laboratoriokokeen avulla selvitettiin sulfidien hapettumista. Metallipitoisuudet nousivat ja pH laski valumien kasvaessa. 1970-luvulla toteutetut salaojitukset heijastuivat jokien happamuuden kasvuna. Myös viime vuosikymmenen kuivat kesät näkyivät veden happamuuden lisääntymisenä syksyn ylivirtaamatilanteissa. Veden pH, sähkönjohtavuus sekä sulfaatti ilmensivät happamien sulfaattimaiden esiintymistä valuma-alueella. Orgaanisista hapoista peräisin olevaa happamuutta havaittiin valuma-alueilla, joilla on runsaasti ojitettuja turvemaita. Ekologisen tilan ajallisen ja paikallisen vaihtelun vuoksi seurantaa tulisi toteuttaa peräkkäisinä vuosina sisällyttäen tarkasteluun valuma-alueen eri jokia ja puroja. Kunnostusojitukset voivat aiheuttaa happamuutta, jos ojitus ulottuu sulfidikerrokseen. Riski on olemassa poikkeuksellisen kuivina kesinä. Sulfidien hapettumista voidaan ehkäistä välttämällä liian syvien ojien kaivamista. Maatalouskäytössä olevilta happamilta sulfaattimailta ja ojitetuilta turvemailta peräisin olevan huuhtouman vaikutukset tulee tuntea, jotta valuma-alueiden maankäyttöä ja vesiensuojelua voidaan toteuttaa tehokkaasti.

1928 beslutades att ån Sennan norr om Karlstorp skulle sänkas, rätas ut och delvis kanaliseras för att öka arealen produktiv jordbruksmark. Men åtgärderna orsakade även flera problem både inom och utanför det område som man undersökte innan genomförandet. Dräneringen ledde till att torvmark torrlades vilket orsakar utsläpp av växthusgaser. Vattnets uppehållstid i landskapet kortades och infiltration till grundvattnet minskades. Den biologiska mångfalden minskade genom habitatförlust, alltså färre livsmiljöer, och även genom ökade mängder lösta organiska ämnen i vattnet. Dessa negativa effekter går att motverka genom restaurering. Höjning av grundvattennivån och igenläggning av diken skulle förbättra hydrologin och förbättra grundvattenbildningen. Återvätning av torvlagren hade minskat utsläppen av växthusgaser och våtmarken hade förlängningen istället kunnat fungera som kolsänka. Restaurering av ån och torvmarken kan bromsa habitatförlusten och skapa nya habitat som med tiden kan bli koloniserade och öka den biologiska mångfalden. Eftersom varje lokal har unika förutsättningar är det är svårt att beräkna hur mycket utsläppen skulle minska, värden på hydrologiska faktorer och till exempel eventuell ökad artrikedom. Aktuell forskning visar att restaurering av torvmarker och vattendrag kan leda till förbättrad hydrologi, minskade utsläpp av växthusgaser och ökad biologisk mångfald, även om det i vissa fall kan ta lång tid innan ekosystemet anpassat sig och de positiva effekterna av restaurering blir märkbara. Med tanke på dagens miljöproblem med klimatförändringar, torka, översvämningar och utarmning av den biologiska mångfalden är restaurering av detta område mycket angeläget. / In 1928 it was decided that the stream Sennan north of Karlstorp would be drained and straightened to increase the area of ​​productive agricultural land. But it also caused several problems both inside and outside the area that were being investigated before implementation. The drainage caused peatland to dry, causing greenhouse gas emissions. Water residence time in the landscape was shortened and groundwater infiltration was reduced. Biodiversity decreased through habitat loss and increased amounts of dissolved organic matter in the water. These negative effects can be counteracted by restoration. Raising the groundwater level and ditch blocking improves hydrology and increases groundwater formation. Rewetting of the peat layers reduces greenhouse gas emissions and the wetland can instead function as a carbon sink. Restoration of the river and peatland reduces habitat loss and creates new habitats that will eventually become colonized and increase biodiversity. Because each site has unique conditions, it is difficult to calculate in what amount emissions would decrease, values ​​of hydrological factors and, for example, possible increased species richness. Recent research shows that restoration of peatlands and streams leads to improved hydrology, reduced emissions of greenhouse gases, and increased biodiversity, although in some cases it may take a long time for the ecosystem to adapt and the positive effects of restoration become noticeable. Given today's environmental problems with climate change, drought, floods and loss of biodiversity, restoration of the affected area is very desirable.

Les tourbières boréales jouent un rôle important dans le cycle global du carbone en tant que puits de CO2 à long terme et en tant que l’une des plus grandes sources de méthane naturel (CH4). Ces importants réservoirs de carbone seront exposés à l’avenir au réchauffement et aux conditions plus humides caractérisant le changement climatique dans les hautes latitudes et, en raison de la grande quantité de carbone stockée dans les tourbières boréales, comprendre leurs dynamiques est important. Dans cette thèse, j'ai intégré une représentation du cycle de l'eau et du carbone dans les tourbières dans le modèle de surface terrestre ORCHIDEE-MICT (LSM), dans le but d'améliorer la compréhension du C des tourbes et de sa dynamique depuis l'Holocène, afin d'explorer les effets du changement climatique.Tout d'abord (chapitre 2), J'ai implémenté les tourbières en tant qu'unité hydrologique de sol (HSU) sous-réseau indépendante qui reçoit les eaux de ruissellement provenant des HSU non tourbeuses environnantes dans chaque cellule du réseau et ne possède pas de drainage, conformément la representation propose par Largeron et al. (2018). Pour modéliser les flux d’eau verticaux des sols tourbeux et non tourbeux, j’ai représenté les paramètres hydrologiques spécifiques à la tourbe pour l’HSU des tourbières, tandis que dans d’autres HSU, les paramètres hydrologiques sont déterminés par la texture dominante du sol de la cellule de la grille. j'ai choisi un modèle diplotelmique pour simuler la décomposition et l'accumulation de tourbe de C. Ce modèle à deux couches comprend une couche supérieure (acrotelm) inondée de manière variable et une couche inférieure (catotelm) inondée en permanence. Ce modèle a montré de bonnes performances dans la simulation de l'hydrologie des tourbières, du C et des flux d'énergie dans 30 tourbières boréales sur des échelles de temps quotidiennes à annuelles. Mais la simplification excessive de la dynamique du carbone pourrait limiter sa capacité à prévoir la réponse des tourbières boréales aux futurs changements climatiques.Deuxièmement (chapitre 3), j'ai remplacé le modèle carbone de tourbe diplotelmique par un modèle multicouche afin de prendre en compte les hétérogénéités verticales de la température et de l'humidité le long du profil de la tourbe. J'ai ensuite adapté TOPMODEL et les critères d'établissement des tourbières de Stocker et al. (2014) pour simuler la dynamique de la zone des tourbières dans une unité de la grille. Ici, la zone inondée donnée par TOPMODEL est traversée avec des conditions de croissance de tourbe appropriées pour définir la zone occupée par une HSU de tourbe. Ce modèle a été testé sur plusieurs sites de tourbières du nord et pour des simulations en 2D sur l'hémisphère nord (> 30 ° N). La superficie totale simulée de tourbières et le stock de carbone en 2010 est de 3,9 million de km2 et 463 PgC, conformément aux observations (3,4 à 4,0 million de km2 et 270 à 540 PgC).Enfin (chapitre 4), avec le modèle multicouche, j’ai réalisé des simulations factorielles à l’aide de données climatiques passées et futures issus des scenarios de trajectoire de concentration représentative (RCP) à partir de deux modèles de circulation générale (GCM) afin d’explorer les réactions des tourbières boréales au changement climatique. Les impacts des tourbières sur le futur bilan en carbone de l'hémisphère nord ont été examinés, notamment la réaction directe du bilan en carbone de la tourbière existante (simulée) et les effets indirects des tourbières sur le bilan de carbone terrestre lorsque les tourbières se modifient à l'avenir.Les travaux futurs se concentreront sur l’inclusion des influences du changement d’affectation des sols et des incendies sur les tourbières dans le modèle, étant donné que des pertes importantes de C pourraient survenir en raison de ces perturbations. Pour avoir une image complète du bilan C des tourbières, il faut prendre en compte les pertes de CH4 et de C organique dissous (DOC). / Northern peatlands play an important role in the global carbon (C) cycle as a long-term CO2 sink and the one of the largest natural methane (CH4) sources. Meanwhile, these substantial carbon stores will be exposed in the future to large warming and wetter conditions that characterize climate change in the high latitudes and, because of the large amount of C stored in northern peatlands, their fate is of concern. In this thesis, I integrated a representation of peatlands water and carbon cycling into the ORCHIDEE-MICT land surface model (LSM), with the aim to improve the understanding of peatland C and area dynamics since the Holocene, to explore effects of projected climate change to northern peatlands, and to quantify the role of northern peatlands in the global C cycle.Firstly (Chapter 2), I implemented peatland as an independent sub-grid hydrological soil unit (HSU) which receives runoff from surrounding non-peatland HSUs in each grid cell and has no bottom drainage, following the concept of Largeron et al. (2018). To model vertical water fluxes of peatland and non-peatland soils, I represented peat-specific hydrological parameters for the peatland HSU while in other HSUs the hydrological parameters are determined by the dominant soil texture of the grid cell. I chose a diplotelmic model to simulate peat C decomposition and accumulation. This two-layered model includes an upper layer (acrotelm) that is variably inundated and a lower layer (catotelm) that is permanently inundated. This model showed good performance in simulating peatland hydrology, C and energy fluxes at 30 northern peatland sites on daily to annual time scales. But the over simplification of the C dynamics may limit its capacity to predict northern peatland response to future climate change.Secondly (Chapter 3), I replaced the diplotelmic peat carbon model with a multi-layered model to account for vertical heterogeneities in temperature and moisture along the peat profile. I then adapted the cost-efficient version of TOPMODEL and peatland establishment criteria from Stocker et al. (2014) to simulate the dynamics of peatland area within a grid cell. Here the flooded area given by TOPMODEL is crossed with suitable peat growing conditions to set the area that is occupied by a peat HSU. This model was tested across a range of northern peatland sites and for gridded simulations over the Northern Hemisphere (>30 °N). Simulated total northern peatlands area and C stock by 2010 is 3.9 million km2 and 463 PgC, fall well within observation-based reported range of northern peatlands area (3.4 – 4.0 million km2) and C stock (270 – 540 PgC).Lastly (Chapter 4), with the multi-layered model, I conducted factorial simulations using representative concentration pathway (RCP)-driven bias-corrected past and future climate data from two general circulation models (GCMs) to explore responses of northern peatlands to climate change. The impacts of peatlands on future C balance of the Northern Hemisphere were discussed, including the direct response of the C balance of the (simulated) extant peatland area, and indirect effects of peatlands on the terrestrial C balance when peatlands area change in the future.Future work will focus on including influences of land use change and fires on peatland into the model, given that substantial losses of C could occur due to these disturbances. To have a complete picture of peatland C balance, CH4 and dissolved organic C (DOC) losses must be considered.

Peatlands provide multiple ecosystem services, including extensive carbon sequestration and storage, yet many peatlands have been degraded or destroyed. Peatlands carbon storage capacity is connected to inherently low decomposition rates, causing the build-up of organic matter. Reasons suggested for this include waterlogged conditions that reduce the amount of available oxygen for the decomposer community, a low pH that inhibits bacterial decomposition, and colder temperatures lowering metabolic rates. This study focused on edge effects on decomposition in the transition zone between Sphagnum bogs and surrounding forest, with the expectation that decomposition is lowest in the bog and highest in the forest, but with a mix of factors causing intermediate decomposition rates near the bog edge. Transitional decomposition rates were measured across six bogs in central Sweden during the summer of 2021, using the tea bag index. Three 20 meter transects, each containing seven pairs of tea bags, were buried across the margins of each bog, centred at the edge of the Sphagnum moss. Soil moisture content, pH, and plant composition was also recorded at each burial site, and with 12 temperature loggers placed evenly among four of the bogs. The results confirmed the hypothesis regarding edge effects, and soil moisture was the dominant factor affecting the decomposition rate, having a strong significant negative correlation. The interaction of pH was significant but with an unexpected negative correlation, most likely due to the low pH in the surrounding forest. Temperature displayed no significance, and plants indicative of low decomposition rates included Vaccinium oxycoccos, Drosera rotundifolia, and especially Sphagnum species. The conclusions are that there is an edge effect on decomposition, and maintaining, or restoring, the hydrology of a peatland is the most important factor for continued carbon storage, with a rough estimation of an areas decomposition rate possible to estimate based on its vegetation. / Torvmarker bidrar med flera ekosystemtjänster, däribland utbrett koldioxidupptag och kollagring, trots detta har många torvmarker idag antingen skadats eller förstörts. Torvmarkers förmåga att lagra kol beror på en låg nedbrytningstakt, vilket gör att organiskt material ackumuleras; möjliga förklaringar som föreslagits till detta är vattensjuk mark som minskar syretillgången för nedbrytarsamhället, ett surt pH som missgynnar bakteriell nedbrytning, samt lägre temperaturer vilket sänker metabolismen generellt. Den här studien fokuserade på hur kanteffekter påverkar nedbrytningen i övergångszonen mellan vitmossemyrar och skog, med förväntningen att nedbrytningen är lägst ute i myren och högst i skogen, men att flera olika faktorer orsakar en intermediär nedbrytningshastighet i myrkanten. Nedbrytningshastigheten i 6 myrars övergångszoner, belägna i centrala Sverige, uppskattades under sommaren 2021 med hjälp av tepåseindexet (tea bag index). Tre 20 meters transekter med 7 par tepåsar vardera begravdes vid varje myr, med mitten vid kanten på vitmossan. Mätningar gjordes vid varje tepåsepar gällande markfuktighet, pH, och växtsamhälle, samt vid 4 myrar så placerades totalt 12 temperaturloggrar. Resultaten bekräftar hypotesen om kanteffekter och markfuktighet framträdde som den dominerande faktorn, med en signifikant negativ effekt på nedbrytningshastigheten. Effekten av pH var också signifikant men med en oväntad negativ korrelation, förmodligen på grund av den sura jorden i omgivande tallskog (Pinus sylvestris). Temperatur hade inte någon signifikant effekt, och växter som indikerade låg nedbrytning var Vaccinium oxycoccos, Drosera rotundifolia, samt framförallt Sphagnum spp.. Slutsatsen är att det finns en kanteffekt och att bevara, eller återskapa, hydrologin av en vitmossemyr är den viktigaste faktorn för fortsatt kolinlagring, med en grov skattning av ett områdes nedbrytningshastighet möjlig att basera på markernas växtlighet.

No description available.

No description available.

Dans un contexte de réchauffement climatique, la fonction puits de carbone des tourbières à sphaignes est susceptible d’être altérée en raison d’une modification des interactions sphaignes-microorganismes, responsables de l’accumulation de carbone. L’objectif de cette thèse a été (1) d’identifier les interactions chimiques entre les polyphénols des sphaignes et les communautés microbiennes des sphaignes et (2) d’évaluer l’impact du réchauffement climatique sur ces relations.Un dispositif expérimental (Open Top Chambers) simulant in situ une hausse modérée des températures (+ 1°C) a été installé sur la tourbière de Frasne (25). La hausse des températures a provoqué une modification du réseau alimentaire microbien avec l’augmentation de la biomasse des bactéries et une baisse importante (-70%) de la biomasse des prédateurs (amibes à thèque). Le réchauffement climatique a également induit une baisse de la production de polyphénols, diminuant ainsi leur effet inhibiteur sur les microorganismes. En parallèle à cette baisse, une hausse des activités enzymatiques phénoloxydases a également été enregistrée. Le réchauffement a ainsi modifié les relations polyphénols – phénoloxydases, deux éléments essentiels du cycle du carbone des tourbières.Les différents changements induits par le réchauffement climatique (polyphénols, phénoloxydases, réseau trophique microbien) ont aussi conduit à une modification des relations « sphaignes-microorganismes » via une accélération potentielle du recyclage des nutriments, ce qui pourrait influencer sur le long terme le fonctionnement de l’écosystème tourbière. / Carbon stocks of Sphagnum-peatlands are likely to be altered by climate warming due to important changes in “Sphagnum-microorganisms” relationships which are responsible for carbon sequestration. The objectives of the thesis are (1) to identify the chemical interactions between Sphagnum-polyphenols and Sphagnum associated microbial communities and (2) to understand the impact of warming on these relationships.An experimental design using Open-Top-Chambers (OTC) was used to simulate an increase of air temperatures (+1°C) on a peatland situated in Jura Mountains (Frasne, 25). Temperature increase induced a modification of the microbial food web with an increase of the biomass of bacteria and a strong decrease of the biomass of top-predators (-70%), i.e. testate amoebae. Warming also induced a decrease of Sphagnum-polyphenols, diminishing their inhibitory effect on microbial communities. In parallel, an increase of phenoloxidase enzymatic activities was recorded in OTC. Climate warming thus modified polyphenol-phenoloxidase interplay, two crucial components of carbon cycle in peatlands. Warming effects on the different components – i.e. polyphenols, phenoloxidases, microbial food web – induced a modification of Sphagnum-microbial communities interplay, favoring carbon and nutrient recycling, which could alter peatland functioning in long-term.

The aim of this thesis is to elaborate recommendations for manufacturers and consumers.

Austräge von gelöstem organischem Kohlenstoff (DOC) aus Mooren sind aus Gründen des Klima- und Trinkwasserschutzes unerwünscht. Einflüsse von Landnutzung auf die Höhe der DOC-Konzentrationen werden teilweise inkonsistent beschrieben und überdies sind wenige Angaben zu den stark anthropogen überprägten Niedermooren Nordostdeutschlands verfügbar. Daher sind in der vorliegenden Arbeit Zusammenhänge von Management und Standorteigenschaften zu DOC-Konzentrationen auf Lysimeter- und Freilandebene untersucht worden. Es zeigte sich, dass die DOC-Gehalte des wiedervernässten Niedermoores deutlich und die DOC-Austräge tendenziell geringer waren als am landwirtschaftlich genutzten Standort, und dass die DOC-Konzentrationen im Grabenwasser seit der Wiedervernässung gesunken sind. Die unmittelbar durch Landnutzung beeinflussten Parameter Wasserstand und Vegetation waren in Lysimeterversuchen von untergeordneter Bedeutung. Niedermoore scheinen bedingt durch ihre individuelle Genese ein spezifisches DOC-Potential bzw. einen „Fingerabdruck“ zu haben, weshalb bei Wiedervernässung zwar sinkende, aber nicht unbedingt geringe, naturnahen DOC-Konzentrationen erreicht werden können. / Losses of dissolved organic carbon are of environmental concern, as DOC is a potential source of gaseous carbon emissions and harms drinking water quality. Lack of knowledge particularly exists for lowland fens. Therefore, the influence of land management and site characteristics on DOC was studied at a catchment and a lysimeter scale. A rewetted fen was investigated showing considerabely lower ditch DOC concentrations and slightly lower DOC losses as compared to an agriculturally used fen. The influence of water levels and vegetation was relatively small in lysimeter trials, while each fen soil seems to have a specific potential for DOC release due to its susbtrate quality and genesis.

The CO2 flux of two peatlands in northern Alberta was examind during the 2004 growing season using eddy covariance measurements of net ecosystem exchange (NEE), chamber measurements of total ecosystem respiration, and empirical models driven by meteorological inputs. The two ecosystems, a poor fen and an extreme-rich fen, differed significantly in plant species composition, leaf area index, aboveground biomass and surface water chemistry. The mean diurnal pattern of NEE at the peak of the season was similar between the sites, however, the extreme-rich fen had a higher photosynthetic and respiratory capacity than the poor fen. Over the 6 month study, the poor fen was shown to accumulate between 2 to 3 times more carbon than the extreme-rich fen despite having a lower photosynthetic capacity. The evergreen nature of the poor fen site allowed for a longer season of net CO2 uptake than the deciduous species that dominated the extreme-rich fen. / xii, 126 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cm.