Removal of mesh track on an upland blanket peatland leads to changes in vegetation composition and structure.

Mesh tracks on peatlands are often granted permits on a temporary basis under the presumption that the tracks are either removed at the end of their permitted use or remain unused in situ. However, the fragility of peatland habitats and poor resilience of the specialist plant communities within them, mean that these linear disturbances may persist post-abandonment or post-removal. We removed sections of mesh track, abandoned five years earlier, from a blanket peatland using two different removal treatment methods (mown and unprepared) and studied a third treatment with sections left in place over a period of 19 months.

Surface structure on abandoned upland blanket peatland tracks.

Temporary permissions are often granted for track use on peatlands. However, even when peatland track designs attempt to minimise environmental impacts via use of mesh systems, such linear disturbances may have persistent impacts. We evaluated the surface peatland structure of five abandoned tracks (four with a mesh surface, one unsurfaced) with varying past usage frequencies, at an upland site in northern England.

Impacts of prescribed burning on Sphagnum mosses in a long-term peatland field experiment.

Understanding fire impacts on peatland vegetation can inform management to support function and prevent degradation of these important ecosystems. However, time since burn, interval between burns and number of past burns all have the potential to modify impacts. Grazing regime may also affect vegetation directly or via an interaction with burning.

Impacts of peat bulk density, ash deposition and rainwater chemistry on establishment of peatland mosses.

Background And Aims: Peatland moss communities play an important role in ecosystem function. Drivers such as fire and atmospheric pollution have the capacity to influence mosses via multiple pathways. Here, we investigate physical and chemical processes which may influence establishment and growth of three key moss species in peatlands.