Unit 3

• What percentage of dead organic matter does peat contain?

  80%
• What are the conditions needed for peat to form?

  • Precipitation exceeds evaporation
  • Waterlogged ground
  • Oxygen deficiency
  • Acidic conditions
• In which hemisphere is peat mostly located?

  Northern hemisphere
• What percentage of land in the UK is peatland?

  12%
• How much carbon is stored in peatland in the UK?

  1. 2 billion tonnes
• What characterizes fen peatlands?

  • Low lying topography
  • Groundwater meets the surface
• What are the characteristics of blanket peatlands?

  • Found on flat hilltops
  • Impermeable rocks prevent drainage
• What is a keystone species found in peatlands?

  Sphagnum Moss
• How much water can Sphagnum Moss hold relative to its own weight?

  20 times its own weight
• What effect does Sphagnum Moss have on water conditions?

  It releases H+ ions, creating acidic conditions
• How much carbon is stored globally in peatland?

  550 gigatons
• What percentage of the world's soil is peat?

  3%
• At what rate does peat accumulate?

  1 mm per year
• What impact did the Llangollen Canal and Railway have on Whixall Moss?

  • Allowed transport of cut peat
  • Water table fell by 3m
• How much carbon is stored in Whixall Moss?

  2 - 3 million tons
• What invasive species have reduced moss growth in Whixall Moss?

  • Purple moor grass
  • Bracken
  • Birch
  • Scot’s pine
• What is the primary source of ammonia pollution in Whixall Moss?

  Pollution from cattle and chicken farms
• What measures have been taken to reduce runoff in Whixall Moss?

  • 150 miles of cell bunding has been built
• What percentage of ammonia pollution in Whixall Moss is attributed to farms?

  2/3
• What forms when snow and ice melts?

  Lakes
• What happens to plants growing on the edges of lakes over time?

  They eventually die and sink to the bottom
• What does the filling of a lake over time create?

  A fen
• What type of moss grows after a fen is formed?

  Sphagnum Mosses
• What is the final outcome of the lowland raised bog formation process?

  A bog is created
• What percentage of Irish bogs have been lost in the last 200 years?

  92%
• How many hectares did the Coillte project restore in 2011?


  636 hectares
• How many tonnes of carbon have been released by peat extraction since 1990?

  31 million tonnes
• What are the methods used for the restoration of bogs?

  • Removing invasive species
  • Blocking drainage channels
  • Re-seeding damaged areas with Sphagnum moss
• What is the government policy regarding peat restoration percentages?

  Restore 50% of upland peat and 25% of lowland peat
• How much European funding is allocated for peat restoration?

  €5 million