Management and ecological restoration of peatlands for a sustainable Canadian horticultural peat industry

加拿大泥炭业及其协会(加拿大泥炭沼泽协会--CSPMA)将生态恢复作为园艺用泥炭地恢复战略的首选。泥炭地恢复试图通过恢复泥炭地的碳积累功能来解决泥炭地的环境影响和经济利用之间的冲突。25年前启动的基于行业的研究计划成功地开发了一种沼泽(营养丰富的泥炭地)的恢复方法。但是，关于磷肥、动物多样性(鸟类、昆虫和两栖动物)以及特别关注的植物物种的恢复成功，必须有更多的文件记录。我们还建议制定以科学为基础的标准(阈值)，以评估恢复行动的有效性，其中包括制定水文和碳固存指标，以将重建模式和恢复成功联系起来。还将研究微营养泥炭在泥炭提取后暴露的地点的修复技术，特别是重新湿化和植物引种。还将评估泥炭开采作业对水质的影响。最后，优化泥炭种植技术以实现泥炭纤维的可持续生产，尤其是通过加强限制有机土壤中分解的酶锁存机制，对泥炭行业具有重要意义。拟议的研究计划是泛加拿大的，并以可持续和负责任的泥炭资源开发为指导。

The Canadian peat industry and its association (Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association - CSPMA) promoted ecological restoration as their first choice of rehabilitation strategies for peatland extracted for horticultural purposes. Peatland restoration attempts to resolve the conflict between environmental impacts and the economical use of peatlands by enabling the return of the carbon accumulating function of peatlands. Industry based research programs initiated 25 years ago successfully develop a restoration method for bogs (ombotrophic peatlands).However, restoration success must be more documented in regards with phosphorous fertilization, fauna diversity (birds, insects and amphibians) and for plant species of special concern. We also propose to develop science-based criteria (thresholds) to assess the effectiveness of restoration actions which includes, amongst other things, to develop hydrology and carbon sequestration indicators to link with revegetation pattern and restoration success. Restoration techniques for sites where minerotrophic peat is exposed after peat extraction will also be investigated, specifically for rewetting and plant introduction. The impacts of peat extraction operations on water quality will also be evaluated. Lastly, optimization of Sphagnum farming techniques for the sustainable production of Sphagnum fibers is of interest for the peat industry, notably by strengthening the enzymatic latch mechanism that limits decomposition in organic soils. The proposed research program is pan-Canadian and is guided by a perspective of sustainable and responsible development of the peat resource.