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Long-term carbon sequestration in peatlands

Forested peatlands are abundant across Canada, making up approximately 18% of Canadian peatlands.  Forested peatlands are typically characterized by a conifer canopy which influences the sunlight available to ground-level vegetation. Ground-level vegetation have a significant influence on carbon sequestration rates and peat accumulation. Despite the abundance of forested peatlands, carbon accumulation in these systems is not well understood. 

Magnan et al. (2020) examined forested peatlands in the Clay Belt of Quebec to understand their carbon sequestration function over millennia as well as to evaluate the influence of fire. Magnan et al. found carbon accumulation in forested peatlands is comparable to some open fens and bogs in the eastern boreal continental region which substantially exceeds the above ground tree biomass. While fires in the past have reduced carbons sequestration rates, fires in forested bogs have been less frequent and less severe than in uplands. These results provide important insights that can be integrated into ecosystem management strategies that aim to maximize carbon sequestration. Learn more here.

Amphibian response to wetland mitigation in Greater Yellowstone

PC: USFWS Mountain-Prairie Wikimedia Commons
Wetlands provide important habitat that is critical to the survival and reproduction of many North American amphibians. With increasing losses of natural wetlands, created and restored wetlands can be beneficial in supporting many amphibian species; however, these benefits are not universal. Amphibians use wetlands in a variety of ways, at different times of the year, and for different durations which means one wetland may not support all amphibians. For example, the tiger salamander overwinters in wetlands and requires water year-round while other species may only use wetlands for the breeding season. 

Swartz et al (2019) compared the occurrence of native amphibians of northwestern Wyoming in created, impacted and reference wetlands to identify environmental features associated with species-specific occupancy. The species sampled included boreal toads, barred tiger salamanders, boreal chorus frogs, and Columbia spotted frogs. The results showed that tiger salamanders and chorus frogs occurred at similar rates in created and reference wetlands, whereas boreal toads occurred frequently in created wetlands and spotted frogs occurred frequently in reference wetlands. Overall, shallow created wetlands may be attractive breeding sites for some amphibian species, but temperature and precipitation variations must also be considered as well as the suitability for other target wildlife. Learn more here.

Hydrology of interconnected bogs in discontinuous permafrost

Northwestern Canada is experiencing one of the fastest rates of permafrost thaw on earth. Permafrost thaw can influence the region's hydrologic regime where forests situated on ice-rich permafrost are at risk of being converted to wetlands. This increase in the proportion of wetlands across the landscape can then result in increased hydrologic connectivity of these features. 

Current research suggests that runoff in wetland-dominated discontinuous permafrost basins will (1) flow directly into a channel fen, (2) flow through a series of ephemerally connected bogs to eventually discharge into a channel fen, or (3) flow into an isolated bog where water is stored. Ephemeral systems are poorly understood yet are critical to understanding the function of runoff-contributing areas. Cannon et al. (2015) investigated the mechanisms controlling water transmission through bog cascades and quantified the amount of runoff produced in these systems at Scotty Creek Research Basin in the Northwest Territories. Cannon et al. determined that for bogs to transmit water, they must first fill the bog's storage capacity. Once full, bogs can transmit significant amounts of runoff, especially during snowmelt. Learn more here.  

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