Effect of hydrological restoration of long-term drained peatlands on functional diversity of soil microorganisms in relation to organic matter quality

(Co)investigator from the Department: Zuzana Urbanová
Funding provider: GAČR, project no. 14-17403P
Duration: 2014 - 2016

Project goals: 
To investigate the effect of restoration on soil microbial community diversity and activity in relation to organic matter quality in long-term drained bogs and spruce swamp forests and determine the differences in post-restoration development between these peatland types with diverse nutrient status.

Project description: 
We will study the effect of restoration of long-term drained bogs and spruce swamp forests (SSF) on the structure and functioning of soil microbial communities in relation to organic matter (OM) quality. Long-term drainage (few decades) changed the vegetation composition, OM input, its decomposition and microbial community structure, so that the two originally distinct types of peatlands became functionally closer. However, it is still unknown how the post-restoration development of these peatland types will vary. We hypothesize that lowered availability of OM and nutrients on long-term drained peatlands decreased the activity and diversity of microorganisms, which was more obvious in SSF than in bogs. On the contrary, restoration will increase nutrient availability, diversity and activity of the microbial community towards those of pristine peatlands, which will be faster in SSF than in bogs. We will study pristine, drained and restored bogs and SSF in Central Europe and determine their microbial diversity and activity in relation to OM quality and peat physico-chemical properties.