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A synthesis of evidence for the effects of interventions to conserve peatland vegetation: Overview and critical discussion

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Taylor, NG 
Grillas, P 
Fennessy, MS 
Goodyer, E 
Graham, LLB 

Abstract

Peatlandsare valuable but threatenedecosystems. Intervention to tackle direct threats is often necessary, but should be informed by scientific evidence to ensure it is effective and efficient. Herewe discuss a recent synthesis of evidence for the effects of interventions to conserve peatland vegetation -a fundamental component of healthy, functioning peatland ecosystems. The synthesis is unique in its broad scope (global evidence for a comprehensive list of 125 interventions) and practitioner-focused outputs (short narrative summaries in plain English, integrated into a searchable online database). Systematicliteraturesearches, supplemented by recommendationsfrom an international advisory board, identified162 publications containing 296 distinct tests of 66 of the interventions. Most of the articles studiedopen bogs or fens in Europe or North America. Only 36 interventions weresupported by sufficient evidence to assess their overall effectiveness. Mostof these interventions(85%) hadpositiveeffects, overall,on peatland vegetation-although this figure is likelyto have beeninflated by publication bias. We discuss how to use the synthesis, critically,to informconservation decisions.Reflecting on the content of the synthesiswe make suggestions for the future of peatland conservation,from monitoring overappropriate timeframes to routinely publishing resultsto build up the evidence base.

Description

Keywords

bog, fen, mire, peat swamp, restoration

Journal Title

Mires and Peat

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1819-754X
1819-754X

Volume Title

24

Publisher

Rights

Publisher's own licence
Sponsorship
Arcadia Fund (AE3756)
MAVA Fondation pour la Nature (14077)
MAVA, Arcadia