Below, a range of criteria for the assignment of nature targets is presented in tables. Several soil characteristics can be used. For the decision making, a hierarchic system of criteria is not required. The decision for a particular nature target type is individually adapted to each site. Site-specific knowledge as well as experience of the soil cartographers were considered, regarding the success or risk for peatland management and planning. Thus, the nature target is also always a product of a subjective determination.
|
Parameters |
Situation |
Peat Types/Soil Quality |
Potential Nature Target(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
surface-near peats (the nearer the surface the better) |
- provides details about undisturbed, peat forming plant communities as well as the undisturbed trophic status - the decision with sedge peat (brown moss peat) is formed after considering the current degree of decomposition (≤ 15–20 cm tending towards brown moss peat) and/or vegetation (forest vegetation: tending towards eutrophic peatland). The basis is a potential topsoil removal, which is impeded by tree roots or deep decomposition (see below) |
transition peats: sphagnum peat, cottongrass peat, Scheuchzeria peat, sedge peat, with transition peat plants added
|
sphagnum dominated bog |
|
with pine and birch wood |
sphagnum dominated bog, forested |
||
|
sedge peat (brown moss) with bog-bean seeds |
brown moss peat or eutrophic peatland |
||
|
reed peat |
eutrophic peatland |
||
|
sedge peat |
eutrophic peatland |
||
|
Erlenbruchtorf |
eutrophic peatland, forested |
||
|
degree of decomposition, depth (total thickness of Hm-, Hv-, Ha-, Ht-horizons) |
- humification leads to eutrophication; to restore mesotrophic conditions to the site, topsoil removal is the preferred option for humification on flat land areas |
topsoil humification ≤ 15–20 cm depth |
brown moss or sphagnum dominated peatland |
|
topsoil humification > 15–20 cm depth |
eutrophic peatland |
||
|
wood content in the peat
|
- wood parts in Hw- and Hr-horizons signal naturally occurring dry periods during peatland formation, strong influence from tidal water, or the final stages of formation |
alder swamp peat |
eutrophic peatland, forested |
|
birch and pine swamp peat |
sphagnum dominated peatland, forested |
||
|
anthropogenic soil removal |
- where peatland subsidence and re-wetting occurs, the new substrate atop the soil application has a lower nutrient content, which counteracts species dominance and favours moorland plants that require several hours of light a day
|
sand |
brown moss peatland
|
|
- where peatland subsidence and re-wetting occurs, calcareous transition mires are promoted |
calcareous debris |
brown moss peatland |
|
|
- where dry and eutrophic conditions are encountered, there are usually also forest communities or can be established in the short-term |
|
eutrophic peatland, forested |
|
Hydrogenetic Mire Type |
Situation |
Potential Nature Target(s) |
|---|---|---|
|
flood mire
|
- often has an irregular water flow by nature (floodplain dynamics), due to which there is a higher content of decomposed and mineral-rich peat in the soil profile - eutrophic by nature |
eutrophic peatland, forested |
|
water rise mire |
- as flat land mires they react to changes in the groundwater table with temporary peat decomposition, due to which there is typically a higher content of decomposed peat in the soil profile - due to episodic peat decomposition, mostly eutrophic by nature |
eutrophic peatland, forested; eutrophic peatland |
|
sloping spring mire |
- often has irregular water flow by nature and a higher content of decomposed peat within the soil profile - due to episodic peat decomposition, mostly eutrophic by nature |
eutrophic peatland, forested |
|
terrestrialisation mire |
- very diverse |
all nature targets are possible |
|
kettle-hole mire |
- typically has a low nutrient content and sphagnum peat in the peatland centre |
sphagnum dominated peatland sphagnum dominated peatland, forested |
|
percolation mire |
- typically shows a low nutrient content, in Berlin not ideally formed as Flusstalmoor |
eutrophic peatland; brown moss peatland |
|
Parameters |
Situation |
Nature Target |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
current vegetation |
biotope types |
- often conforms to the peat forming plant communities of surface-near peats where less disturbed peatlands are concerned, and verifies the scientific findings - signals changes in site conditions where eutrophic biotopes are concerned, which can be useful, together with soil parameters, in the assessment of possible mesotrophication through soil removal |
depending on biotope type, all nature targets are possible |
|
anthropogenic effects |
soil |
Table “Soil Criteria“ (see above) |
brown moss peatland; eutrophic peatland, forested |
|
drainage history |
- provides information regarding changes in site condition - drainage structures within the peatland (ditches) constitute potential for water construction measures (ditch blocking, artificial water flow, among other phenomena) |
- depending on soil condition, hydrogenetic mire type or location, any and all nature targets are possible |
|
|
history of hydrology |
- artificial water flow can induce long-term changes in the original ecological mire type through eutrophication, in which case the only nature target can be to stabilize surface-near water levels (mire character) - option to control water levels of a target (also where mesotrophic sites are preserved) |
- depending on soil condition, hydrogenetic mire type and location or site, any and all nature targets are possible - where potential overflow occurs, artifical water flow from groundwater or surface waters leads to the nature target of eutrophic peatland or eutrophic peatland, forested | |
