Peat moorland re-wilding: enhancing carbon sequestration and slowing-the-flows?

Research approach: A limitation to the accurate assessment of peatland carbon exchanges and quantification of the impact of restorative measures lies in the poor coupling of climate/hydrology with carbon fluxes, a lack of empirical models that link hydrological and climatic changes to fluvial and gaseous carbon cycling processes and a lack of evidence to derive empirical models. In 2006-8 the Forestry Commission had an Enriching Nature (SITA-trust) funded programme facilitating the large scale removal of forestry from the upland water-shedding ombrotrophic mire, May Moss (Northeast England). May Moss, at 150ha and 265m O.D., is the largest areas of intact ombrotrophic upland blanket mire in eastern England, and comprises two linked watershed basins with peat in excess of 5 metres in thickness. May Moss receives annual average rainfall of 908mm and average annual temperatures of 7.5°C amd drains waters towards the flood-prone Eskdale and Derwent catchments. Since 2008 data have been collected on the hydrology and micrometeorology. This studentship would use those data and collect Carbon exchange data (GHG and water-born POC and DOC) to develop a semi-empirical process-based peat carbon and hydrological (run-off) models testing a hypotheses about both ‘slow the flow’ and carbon sequestration measures in the context of managed peat moorlands.

Research Aims: To record the changes in hydrology on adjacent intact and restoring tracts at May Moss during and through the removal of forestry, employing comprehensive approaches that assess precipitation (input), evaporative and run-off losses (output), and net water balance (peat water tables); To measure a series of micrometeorological parameters for the peat site to allow the calculation of evaporation (evapotranspiration) ~ heat and water exchanges; To record GHG emissions at May Moss on a campaign basis in relation to the other parameters. Headspace gas analysis by Gas Chromatography (GC) (facilities at Liverpool) will quantify the CO2, CH4 and N2O concentrations in gas emissions sampled by closed chamber methods from the bog surface; To record fluvial losses of carbon (DOC and POC) in stream discharge from the catchment at regular intervals and storm events, and also from lysimeter and peat extraction techniques; and to develop a semi-empirical process-based peat GHG emissions model from the contrasting data sets and other existing information to explore consequences of peat restoration and climate change projections for net GHG balances. This work will link to, and complement on-going practical research on best methods for peat restoration, but will provide a deeper analysis of the controlling environmental factors.

Research training: The student will benefit from a variety of research training with a focus in these technical areas: (i) field recording of hydrology and micrometeorology; (ii) GHG sampling; (iii) GC based measurement of GHG emissions; (iv) data analysis and the development of a process model for peatland carbon storage and GHG release; and (v) simulation modelling for future climate and land-use scenarios.