Sessions
The indoor session will consist from lectures, practical exercise and discussions on the selected aspects of wetland management in the vegetation-soil-water system. Every day there will be three thematic blocks focused on each of the studying fields. The themes of the discussed issues and the scope of indoor sessions for particular days are presented below:
Day Two - Tuesday (15.06.)
vegetation: Wetland vegetation patterns on the background of habitat differentiation (hydrological regime and fertility) and management:- phytosociological and ecological classifications,
- inter-play of various factors;
- bulk and particle density,
- soil moisture content,
- botanical composition,
- degree of decomposition,
- shrinkage;
- an identification of the key hydrological processes occurring in the Biebrza Upper Basin;
- a description of the current state of the hydrological knowledge of the Upper Basin by way of a short overview of the available hydrological data (including: hydrometeorology, surface water and groundwater system) and the results of analysis based on these data,
- a presentation of the results of the simulations including groundwater modelling, hydraulic modelling and distributed catchment runoff modelling in dependence of topography, soil, land-use and meteorology,
- a discussion of the simulations results with respect to their ecological importance in sustaining different habitats,
- a zooming in to some transects along which detailed time series of groundwater levels have been observed and are complemented by vegetation and nutrient cycling mapping,
- a presentation and discussion of the current status in finding the controlling hydrological factors for these mapped ecological differences.
Day Three - Wednesday (16.06.)
vegetation: Effects of biotic interactions (herbivore, competition) and succession on species distribution and vegetation patterns in wetlands:- functional group approach to wetland flora,
- effects of experimental research on competition in various wetlands, including results from the Biebrza valley,
- effects of natural herbivores and grazing by livestock on vegetation;
- soil water potential,
- soil moisture retention characteristics,
- water available for plants;
Day Four - Thursday (17.06.)
vegetation: Riparian vegetation patterns in space (zonation) and time (succession) - from single species-view to catchment approach:- summarising vegetation patterns in the Biebrza catchment with use of vegetation map,
- re-constructing vegetation development of the valley,
- biodiversity values in various parts and stages of the system,
- implications for nature management;
- saturated and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity,
- capillary rise,
- groundwater level management;
- patterns of the Biebrza river flooding,
- methods of flood extent determination (measurements, Remote Sensing, GIS-based hydraulic modelling,
- different water types in floodwater,
- relation between flood extent and vegetation zonation.
Day Six - Saturday (19.06.)
Lectures:
Author: Martin Wassen
Title: The impact of land use changes and management on wetland ecosystem functioning
Outline: Land use is one of the factors most directly influencing biodiversity (ecosystems, species and genotypes of plants, animals and micro-organisms). Large part of the Earth surface is under production. The intensity of current production methods and the impacts on the physical-chemical conditions of the soil (water and nutrient status) are important driving forces of the decrease of biodiversity. Furthermore, land use also affects the remaining nature areas, through environmental impacts such as desiccation, acidification, eutrophication and fragmentation. Knowledge of key-processes vital for ecosystem functioning is therefore required in order to be able to improve ecosystem quality as a condition to biodiversity conservation.
Ratification of the Convention of Biodiversity by many countries implies that loss of biodiversity should be prevented and counteracted. Important means are the protection of nature areas, e.g. through survival strategies for forest and other types of nature, and the restoration of lost nature, e.g. by taking agricultural land out of production, reversing eutrophication processes and rewetting wetlands.
For understanding eutrophication, i.e. the process of nutrient enrichment of ecosystems we primarily need to know which nutrient(s) is limiting primary productivity. Next, quantification of pools and flows of limiting nutrients is required. The effect of potential increases of nutrient availabilities can then be predicted by analyzing the various nutrient flows operating in these ecosystems. In wetlands these flows include atmospheric deposition, nutrient supply by flooding and groundwater flow, nutrient leaching to groundwater and denitrification as well as grazing or harvesting natural products in the form of hay production. Increased availabilities may also result from changes in soil nutrient turnover rates due to altered ecosystem properties such changes in hydrological dynamics and acidification. Management often strives for decreasing productivity and preventing ecosystem succession towards higher productive ecosystems.
We quantified (annual) nutrient flows along productivity gradients in floodplains, fens and meadows. We also identified key processes for ecosystem functioning and related them to landscape features on one hand and vegetation structure, plant species composition and plant diversity on the other hand. Results will be discussed in relation to the type of nutrient limitation, plant diversity - productivity patterns and management.
