Metla Project 3470

Mire diversity and function - successional change during primary paludification

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Duration: 2007-2011   Keywords: CO2 and CH4 exchange, diversity, methanogenic microbes, methanotrophic microbes, mire, primary succession, vegetation
Research project group: Distinct projects 1 - Structure and function of forest ecosystems

Objectives

The project aims to improve understanding of the complex interactions of diversity with productivity and stability of ecosystem functioning, here defined as of net exchange of carbon between ecosystem and atmosphere. The main study site will be a 8 km long chronosequence of seven mires, whose ages vary from a few to 3000 years. The transect is located in the coastal area of the Gulf of Bothnia between Finland and Sweden, where new land is continuously exposed due to the ongoing post-glacial rebound, resulting in primary successional series of mire ecosystems from young fens in the first step of primary paludification to ombrotrophic bogs in older stages. Importantly, it is possible to find pristine ecosystems that have similar origin, but diversity and ecosystem functioning vary without land use causing more complexity. In the empirical part we will study successional patterns in diversity and community structures of groups involved in the functional ecology of mires (plants, methanogens, methanotrophs, fungi, testate amoebas). In addition, carbon gas exchange data from the study transect is already available. In the modelling part, the gas exchange data will be utilized to study the relationship between gaseous carbon exchange and spatio-temporal variation in the environment. Modelling approach will provide novel understanding of the successional changes in the processes. In the synthesis, the productivity and stability of the ecosystem functioning is examined in relation to the changes in biodiversity and community composition during the succession.

Project leader: Merilä, Päivi
The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Oulu Unit, PO Box 413 (Rakentajantie 3), FI-90014 Oulun yliopisto, FINLAND
Phone: +358 29 532 4061
E-mail: paivi.merila@metla.fi

Other researchers: Alm, Jukka, JO (2007-08), Fritze, Hannu, VA (2007-11)


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Updated 02.02.2013
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