Climate stability, water quantity and biodiversity in peatland areas in Brandenburg in Germany
For Germany two case study regions both located in the Federal State Brandenburg, with a concentration on petlands have been included in the studies. The region Märkische Schweiz, located in the East of Berlin as a hotspot region for public good supply (mainly carbon sequestration), and a second peatland area called Rhinluch, located in the Northwest of Berlin.
We investigate possibilities for better PG provision in peatland areas through improved water table management and related land use management. The public goods that are especially affected by the water table management are climate stability, water quantity and biodiversity. Peatlands are carbon rich soils that work as a carbon sink. When they are used for agricultural production they are often deeply drained from early spring until autumn. Oxygen gets into the soil and mineralisation processes take place, causing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mainly as carbon dioxide (CO2). Therefore drained and agriculturally used peatland areas make up 5 % of overall German GHG emissions, contributing to climate change. Peatlands have the ability to function like a swamp, storing water in seasons with high precipitation and release it during drier seasons. This provides water for groundwater recharge and freshwater supply. Drainage of peatlands changes the functionality of the soils and often leads to water scarcity during growing season in our case study area. Additionally, drainage causes a loss of typical peatland habitats for species. Hence, raising the water table about 10 cm below ground and extensifying the system will keep the functionality of peatlands and lead to better PG provision.
About 15 t CO2-Eq/ha*a emissions could be avoided, assuming an improvement from drained intense grassland management to extensive wet grassland management. Read more…
As a result, under an optimal contract design, combining all three GMs 1) incentive, 2) support for cooperation and 3) value chain opportunities, farmers would be willing to participate in the scheme for an average compensation of 387 €/ha*a. Hence, the optimal governance strategy is a mix of these three GMs leading to the most cost efficient provision of PGs in agriculturally used peatland areas. Read more…
Stakeholder Portal
Stakeholder Portal
Here you find outcomes and of the participatory workshops and other material in national language.
Contact for case study region
- Annette Piorr, Kati Häfner, Ingo Zasada
Leibniz-Zentrum für Agrarlandschaftsforschung (ZALF) e. V.,
Eberswalder Straße 84,
D-15374 Müncheberg