Exploitation of northern peatlands and biodiversity maintenance: a conflict between economy and ecology

By S. Chapman, A. Buttler, A. Francez, F. Laggoun‐Défarge, Harri, Vasander, M. Schloter, J. Combe, P. Grosvernier, Hauke Harms and 4 more. 2003

183 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Peatlands are ecosystems of exceptional conservation value because of their beauty, biodiversity, importance in global geochemical cycles, and the paleoenvironmental records they preserve. Commercial extraction and drainage for forestry or agriculture have caused the destruction of many peatlands, especially in or close to urban areas of the northern temperate zone. Are these commercial and environmental interests irreconcilable? A close analysis suggests that limited peat extraction may actually increase biodiversity in some cases, and may be sustainable over the long term. As we learn more about how peatlands spontaneously regenerate following disturbance, and what conditions govern the re-establishment of a diverse community and the ability to sequester carbon, we increase our chances of being able to restore damaged peatlands. Preserving the chronological records hidden in the peat profile, the natural heritage value of peatlands, and the bulk of sequestered carbon, however, will remain incompatible with any form of exploitation.

Subfields: Ecology, Plant Science

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/16e12bdd916643d268759c51c6ce77f282c44e95

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Ecology

1. M. Mazerolle
2. L. Rochefort
3. Paul Henning Krogh
4. A. Desrochers

In Plant Science

1. L. Rochefort
2. Paul Henning Krogh

Citations in the corpus

• LANDSCAPE CHARACTERISTICS INFLUENCE POND OCCUPANCY BY FROGS AFTER ACCOUNTING FOR DETECTABILITY (2005, background): “…chose peatland systems, as they span over a large portion of boreal countries, have received little attention compared to other environments, are increasingly threatened by human disturbances, and are commonly used by amphibians (Maltby and Proctor 1996, Mazerolle 2001, 2003, Chapman et al. 2003).”
• Is energy cropping in Europe compatible with biodiversity? – Opportunities and threats to biodiversity from land-based production of biomass for bioenergy purposes (2013, background): “[53] Chapman S, Buttler A, Francez AJ, Laggoun-Défarge F, Vasander H, Schloter M, et al.”