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

加拿大泥炭工业及其协会（加拿大泥炭藓协会- CSPMA）促进生态恢复作为他们为园艺目的提取的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环境影响与泥炭地经济利用之间的冲突。25年前启动的基于行业的研究项目成功地开发了一种恢复沼泽（营养型泥炭地）的方法。然而，在磷肥、动物多样性（鸟类、昆虫和两栖动物）和特别关注的植物物种方面，必须更多地记录恢复的成功。我们还建议制定基于科学的标准（阈值）来评估恢复行动的有效性，其中包括制定水文和碳封存指标，将其与植被模式和恢复成功联系起来。还将研究泥炭提取后暴露的矿化泥炭场地的恢复技术，特别是重新润湿和植物引进。还将评价泥炭提取作业对水质的影响。最后，优化泥炭工业对可持续生产泥炭纤维的泥炭种植技术感兴趣，特别是通过加强限制有机土壤分解的酶锁机制。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的观点为指导。

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.