European Peatlands • 515,000 km sq • Undecomposed organic material • Largest tracts in northern regions • Cool wet climate ideal for formation
European Peatlands 515,000 km sq Undecomposed organic material Largest tracts in northern regions Cool wet climate ideal for formation.
Jan 18, 2018
Threats HUMANS! – “slowly renewing” resource – years for one peatland to be created! – Usual formation about 1 mm/year! Status Only 5 countries have > 50% of original peatland remaining EU wants to end horticultural use EU attempting to protect wetlands for migrating birds
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
European Peatlands
• 515,000 km sq• Undecomposed
organic material• Largest tracts in
northern regions• Cool wet climate
ideal for formation
Uses
Threats• HUMANS!
– “slowly renewing” resource – 1000-5000 years for one
peatland to be created!– Usual formation about 1
mm/year!
Status• Only 5 countries have > 50%
of original peatland remaining
• EU wants to end horticultural use
• EU attempting to protect wetlands for migrating birds
Environmental Issues• Drainage for agriculture and extraction causing:
– Release of carbon dioxide, methane and heavy metals– Loss of habitat – Risk of fires
Some native species of peat bogs• Early marsh-orchid (Dactylorhiza incarnata)• Large Heath Butterfly (Coenonympha tullia)
• Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
• Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)
• Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola)
• Common sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)
Related Documents
