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Regenerative succession of Azorean peatlands after grazing: vegetation path to self-recovery

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Abstract

The study central goal was to analyze secondary succession in a degraded peatland: (1) Sphagnum distribution trends and (2) successional patterns. Main study sites were adjacent abandoned pastures, where grazing was carried out in former peatland and where degradation had occurred, hereafter referred as degraded peatland. (1) Degraded peatland was mapped in 2006 (while it was still a pasture, grazed for over 30 years), and throughout the study period in 2013 (2 years post-abandonment) and 2015 (4 years post-abandonment). The baseline assessment of 2006 revealed that Sphagnum spp. were present in 7% of the area, which pointed at the resilience of the peat ecosystem. After the grazing ceased, Sphagnum cover increased to 17% and 39%, in the next 2 and 4 years respectively post animal removal. (2) To gain a general comprehension of flora and vegetation changes along the regenerative sucession, 48 permanent plots were established in the degraded peatland. In two other study sites, a further twenty plots were established, ten plots in a semi-natural peatland area where grazing ceased 30 years ago and ten others in a natural peatland. These were monitored between July 2012 and July 2015 (triannual). After 4 years, the formerly degraded peatland showed considerable recovery with a growth of Sphagnum spp. cover as well as other species like Calluna vulgaris, tending to become more similar to semi-natural and natural peatlands. Grazing cessation induced the regenerative succession that could lead to self-recovery, which, in optimal conditions, could be an alternative to active restoration in Azores.

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Acknowledgements

The Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) Portugal (Ph.D. Grant: SFRH/BD/79350/2011) provided the financial support for this study. This was integrated into the CONNECT.GENE project (Ref. Acores-01–0145-FEDER000061) financed by FEDER and regional funds through the Azores 2020 Operational Program. The assignment of degraded peatland area by Regional Direction of Forestry Services, from where cattle were removed allowed the definition of regenerative succession studies; Regional Directorate for Public Works and Communications—Regional Secretariat for Tourism and Transport—Azores Regional Government for ceding 2006 aerial photos. Mauro Ponte, Madalena Cota, Ana Mendes and Ingrid Kellen for fieldwork assistance; Professor Harri Vasander, Martin Brummell and Noémie D’Amour for comments and suggestions that improved this article.

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  1. CBA – Centro de Biotecnologia dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e do Ambiente, Universidade dos Açores, Rua Capitão João D’Ávila, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal

    Cândida Mendes, Eduardo Dias & José Azevedo

  2. Groupe de Recherche en Écologie Des Tourbières, Université Laval, 2425 Rue de l’Agriculture, Quebec, QC, G1V OA6, Canada

    Line Rochefort

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  1. Cândida Mendes
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Correspondence to Cândida Mendes.

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11273_2019_9701_MOESM1_ESM.jpg

Figure 1S. Altitude grid inside experimental field (based on images obtained by DGI Model Phantom 3 Professional analysed in ArcGis 10). Arrows show major tendencies in water direction. (JPG 1476 kb)

11273_2019_9701_MOESM2_ESM.jpg

Figure 2S. Map of Lagoa do Negro experimental field showing negative relation between high cover of Holcus lanatus (above 60%) and presence of Sphagnum palustre, data of 2015. (JPG 6395 kb)

11273_2019_9701_MOESM3_ESM.xlsx

Table S1. Florist table of natural, semi- natural and degraded peatlands, considering all 680 inventories (480 inventories in the degraded peatland, 100 in semi-natural and 100 in natural) from July of 2012 to July of 2015. (XLSX 14 kb)

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Mendes, C., Dias, E., Rochefort, L. et al. Regenerative succession of Azorean peatlands after grazing: vegetation path to self-recovery. Wetlands Ecol Manage 28, 177–190 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-019-09701-3

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