Research
Compared to many other ecosystems our understanding of peatlands is in its infancy. Coordinated scientific research into peatland issues is an effective way to increase our knowledge of their importance. Five research projects have been completed since 2007 and a further five grants were awarded in 2010. The Phase 1 hydrological monitoring report is also available below.
Five research projects have been completed on a variety of issues associated with moorland grip-blocking and biodiversity on blanket bog habitats. The final reports from these projects are available to download here.
Building on this successful first funding round, we are now supporting a further five research projects which are investigating peatland issues as they relate to the North Pennines AONB. Each of the projects aims to yield results that are of practical benefit and inform decisions about land management and restoration efforts.
- How much peat is being lost from bare and eroding areas?
Dr Richard Grayson and Prof Joe Holden from the University of Leeds are using the novel technique of ground-based laser scanning (LiDAR) to measure accurately the loss of material from eroding peat surfaces.
- Do our restoration techniques reduce erosion rates and sediment loss?
Dr Jeff Warburton from Durham University is undertaking a range of measurements alongside one of our bare peat restoration projects.
- How can novel remote sensing imagery be used to map vegetation and land-use?
Mark Kincey and colleagues from the University of Birmingham are investigating how new remote sensing data can be used to map vegetation types and different land-uses across large areas without the need for intensive ground-based surveys.
- What are the effects of grazing intensity on peatland carbon balances?
Dr Fred Worrall and Dr Gareth Clay from Durham University are carrying out experiments to determine how the level of grazing affects the amount of carbon stored by peatlands.
- How is the carbon budget of a managed moorland affected by drain-blocking?
We are contributing to Magnus Kelly's PhD project (CEH Edinburgh and the University of Edinburgh). Magnus is measuring carbon dioxide and methane fluxes before and after drains are blocked as part of a moorland restoration programme.
Monitoring
A crucial aspect of the project is monitoring how blanket bog responds to restoration work. Learn more about our monitoring work here.
