A synthesis of evidence for the effects of interventions to conserve peatland vegetation: overview and critical discussion
Peatlands are valuable but threatened ecosystems. Intervention to tackle direct threats is often necessary, but should be informed by scientific evidence to ensure it is effective and efficient. Here we discuss a recent synthesis of evidence for the effects of interventions to conserve peatland vege...
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International Mire Conservation Group and International Peat Society
2019-06-01
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doaj-e38a57e76edc4b7b99b3a6032c479a132020-11-25T03:02:50ZengInternational Mire Conservation Group and International Peat SocietyMires and Peat1819-754X2019-06-01241812110.19189/MaP.2018.OMB.379A synthesis of evidence for the effects of interventions to conserve peatland vegetation: overview and critical discussionN.G. Taylor0P. Grillas1M.S. Fennessy2E. Goodyer3L.L.B. Graham4E. Karofeld5R.A. Lindsay6D.A. Locky7N. Ockendon8A. Rial9S. Ross10R.K. Smith11R. van Diggelen12J. Whinam13W.J. Sutherland14Tour du Valat, Arles, FranceTour du Valat, Arles, FranceKenyon College, Gambier OH, USAIUCN UK Peatland Programme, Edinburgh, UKBorneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Bogor, IndonesiaUniversity of Tartu, EstoniaUniversity of East London, UKMacEwan University, Edmonton, CanadaUniversity of Cambridge, UKBioHabitat A.C., Caracas, VenezuelaPenny Anderson Associates, Buxton, Derbyshire, UKUniversity of Cambridge, UKUniversity of Antwerp, BelgiumUniversity of Tasmania, Hobart, AustraliaUniversity of Cambridge, UKPeatlands are valuable but threatened ecosystems. Intervention to tackle direct threats is often necessary, but should be informed by scientific evidence to ensure it is effective and efficient. Here we 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). Systematic literature searches, supplemented by recommendations from an international advisory board, identified 162 publications containing 296 distinct tests of 66 of the interventions. Most of the articles studied open bogs or fens in Europe or North America. Only 36 interventions were supported by sufficient evidence to assess their overall effectiveness. Most of these interventions (85 %) had positive effects, overall, on peatland vegetation - although this figure is likely to have been inflated by publication bias. We discuss how to use the synthesis, critically, to inform conservation decisions. Reflecting on the content of the synthesis we make suggestions for the future of peatland conservation, from monitoring over appropriate timeframes to routinely publishing results to build up the evidence base.http://mires-and-peat.net/media/map24/map_24_18.pdfbogfenmirepeat swamprestoration |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
N.G. Taylor P. Grillas M.S. Fennessy E. Goodyer L.L.B. Graham E. Karofeld R.A. Lindsay D.A. Locky N. Ockendon A. Rial S. Ross R.K. Smith R. van Diggelen J. Whinam W.J. Sutherland |
spellingShingle |
N.G. Taylor P. Grillas M.S. Fennessy E. Goodyer L.L.B. Graham E. Karofeld R.A. Lindsay D.A. Locky N. Ockendon A. Rial S. Ross R.K. Smith R. van Diggelen J. Whinam W.J. Sutherland A synthesis of evidence for the effects of interventions to conserve peatland vegetation: overview and critical discussion Mires and Peat bog fen mire peat swamp restoration |
author_facet |
N.G. Taylor P. Grillas M.S. Fennessy E. Goodyer L.L.B. Graham E. Karofeld R.A. Lindsay D.A. Locky N. Ockendon A. Rial S. Ross R.K. Smith R. van Diggelen J. Whinam W.J. Sutherland |
author_sort |
N.G. Taylor |
title |
A synthesis of evidence for the effects of interventions to conserve peatland vegetation: overview and critical discussion |
title_short |
A synthesis of evidence for the effects of interventions to conserve peatland vegetation: overview and critical discussion |
title_full |
A synthesis of evidence for the effects of interventions to conserve peatland vegetation: overview and critical discussion |
title_fullStr |
A synthesis of evidence for the effects of interventions to conserve peatland vegetation: overview and critical discussion |
title_full_unstemmed |
A synthesis of evidence for the effects of interventions to conserve peatland vegetation: overview and critical discussion |
title_sort |
synthesis of evidence for the effects of interventions to conserve peatland vegetation: overview and critical discussion |
publisher |
International Mire Conservation Group and International Peat Society |
series |
Mires and Peat |
issn |
1819-754X |
publishDate |
2019-06-01 |
description |
Peatlands are valuable but threatened ecosystems. Intervention to tackle direct threats is often necessary, but should be informed by scientific evidence to ensure it is effective and efficient. Here we 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). Systematic literature searches, supplemented by recommendations from an international advisory board, identified 162 publications containing 296 distinct tests of 66 of the interventions. Most of the articles studied open bogs or fens in Europe or North America. Only 36 interventions were supported by sufficient evidence to assess their overall effectiveness. Most of these interventions (85 %) had positive effects, overall, on peatland vegetation - although this figure is likely to have been inflated by publication bias. We discuss how to use the synthesis, critically, to inform conservation decisions. Reflecting on the content of the synthesis we make suggestions for the future of peatland conservation, from monitoring over appropriate timeframes to routinely publishing results to build up the evidence base. |
topic |
bog fen mire peat swamp restoration |
url |
http://mires-and-peat.net/media/map24/map_24_18.pdf |
work_keys_str_mv |
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