Peatlands ("Frisch vernässt" - A project in cooperation with the Austrian Federal Forests)

Peat bogs are important habitats, terrestrial climate archives and major storages of carbon.

In the European Alps, the formation of peat bogs is often closely related to the legacy of glaciers. As they carve basins and leave fine sediments, lakes may form after deglaciation that are eventually turn into peat bogs. The excess water and the accompanying lack of oxygen in the soil prevent the complete decomposition of the dead plant material, resulting in this very special substrate. Peatlands play an outstanding role in the landscape water balance. The peat stores both the carbon of plant material from many thousands of years and the pollen of these plants. They may preserve the climate and environmental history of the last ~ 15,000 years. Intact peat bogs are very rich in biodiversity, important carbon sinks and valuable climate archives. They are sensitive and rare ecosystems.

A cooperation with the Austrian Federal Forests (ÖBf, owner of peat bogs), the University of Salzburg and TU Vienna seeks to promote its long-term conservation and exploration. Research seeks to better understand the postglacial development of peatlands, the anthropogenic disturbance, its hydrology, the carbon storage & turnover potential, gathering data to support measures for peatland restauration.

We will apply various methods from the exploration of the past local climate via proxy data (ancient DNA, pollen) to the development of maintenance and habitat-improving measures. We will also explore peat bog`s internal structure and hydrology (via terrestrial/drone-based geophysical methods, drillings and hydrological monitoring). The pioneering goal is to improve the knowledge base and optimise the methods for use in current and future peatland and litter meadow restoration projects. (Project leader ÖBf, Xaver Wimmer).

Involved researchers: Bernhard Salcher, Mathias Hopfinger, Andreas Tribsch, Sylke Hilberg (all Univ. Salzburg), Adrian Flores (TU Vienna), Philipp Stojakowits (Univ. Augsburg) and the Georesearch Forschungsgesellschaft mbH.

Funding: BMLUK, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Managemen