Vegetation diversity in mountain peatlands

Mountain peatlands are currently poorly understood systems in Alberta, in part, due to their exclusion from the provincial wetland classification system and mapping inventories. As glaciers recede and expose wet mineral soils, researchers expect mountain peatlands, predominantly fens, to increase in valley bottoms and on slopes. With this, increased research and mapping are needed to better understand these systems and their values, such as their potential to mitigate flooding in downstream towns and cities.

To begin to address this knowledge gap, Calvin Lei examined vegetation diversity in mountain peatlands as his Master’s thesis. In Chapter 2, Lei (2021) reports on vegetation diversity and distribution along an elevation gradient in the Bow River Basin in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. Lei found that the impacts of elevation gradients are not as important in predicting plant communities in mountain peatlands as pH and electric conductivity. Lei also noted the occurrence of rare species which are vulnerable to extirpation due to limited range and small population sizes, such as three-seeded sedge (Carex trisperma). Learn more about mountain peatland ecology, vegetation survey techniques, and the value of mountain peatlands in mitigating climate risks here.

Unexpected greening in a boreal peatland

Forest productivity in Canada’s boreal forest is decreasing due, in part, to climate warming. However, it is unclear which species are driving this decline in productivity. In a boreal peatland underlain with permafrost in the Scotty Creek Research Forest, NWT, Dearborn and Baltzer (2021) examine forest productivity changes using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). NDVI uses satellite imagery to calculate red to near-infrared radiation from the earth’s surface, with red radiation indicating productive vegetation, greening, and near-infrared radiation indicating unproductive vegetation, browning. They coupled this with tree ring widths to assess recent growth trends in black spruce trees.

While Dearborn and Baltzer expected their NDVI data to show browning to support their decreased productivity hypothesis at the Scotty Creek Research Forest, their results indicate overall greening due to high rates of black spruce mortality and increasing rates of species establishment, specifically tamarack. Although there are relatively low rates of tamarack occurrence in the study sites, its abundance is expected to increase with permafrost thaw. This research highlights that NDVI trends in boreal peatlands can be positive even when the forest, as a whole, is in decline. Learn more here.

Alberta Wetland Policy Implementation Review 

The Alberta Wetland Policy (Policy; 2015) provides strategic direction and tools to support wetland protection, conservation, and restoration across Alberta. However, since being published, the Policy had not been reviewed to assess whether it is achieving its stated outcomes. To fill this gap, the Alberta Water Council (AWC) reviewed the Policy and its implementation to support future improvements and public reporting. The AWC is a collaborative partnership between members from government, industry, and non-governmental organizations that advises and informs policy and provides a forum to discuss water perspectives.
 
The AWC’s review (2021) sought to develop a common understanding of the Policy’s terms, characterize implementation successes, and identify potential performance measures. The review identified several successes such as creating improved dialogue and education on topics relating to wetland conservation and restoration. This includes the development of new technical policy guidance, BMP guides within the forest and energy sectors, and outreach workshops delivered to landowners. The review also identified several challenges, including the complex regulatory system, and opportunities to improve its efficiency. 

Learn more about the review and opportunities for improvement here.