1

Environmental Engineering (ES406)

Case study: Mechanism of pollutants release

and transport to water bodies from Harvested
Peatland Forests and Possible Mitigation
Methods

Dr. Zaki-ul-Zaman Asam

Assistant Professor,
Department of Environmental Sciences,
University of Gujrat
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Outline

Background of the study

Aims and objectives
Materials and methods
Findings of the study
Conclusions and recommendations
Research publications
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Background of the study

 General overview of nutrient cycling in standing and harvested peatland forests

N & P in harvest residue

Deposition % of total in tree.
P = 80% N = 75%

Litter fall

Harvest
Nutrient release
residue
to soil from
decomposition
of harvest
residue

Buffer
area
Leaching of nutrients
Background of the study
 Harvesting practices in operational forestry in blanket peatlands

P = 25-33 kg ha-1
Brash windrows
N = 330-430 kg ha-1

Co
ll ec
to r
dr
ain

Main riv
er
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Background of the study

 800,000 ha of blanket peat afforested in Ireland and the UK from 1950s – 1990s

 Most of these forests are being, or about to be, harvested

 Tree density at maturity is high (>2800 trees ha-1), and planted up to the stream edge

 10-25-m-long buffer strips along the rivers and streams for water quality protection is recommended by the
Forest Service

 Phased felling is another recommended management practice to reduce impact on water quality

 Local climatic conditions, topography and soil characteristics are such that there would be high hydraulic
loading to conventionally recommended buffer areas
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Aims & Objectives

The overall aims of the study were to:
 Investigate the mechanisms of P and N release from harvested peat forests.
 Assess the effectiveness of different mitigation methods to reduce P and N

export to receiving waters.

The specific objectives were to:

1. Assess the nutrient release from the decomposition of harvest residue.
2. Assess the effect of rise in the water table on nutrient release from harvested sites.
3. Assess the contribution of brash windrows to N and P export to receiving waters.
4. Assess the nutrient retention efficiency of blanket peat buffer areas.
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1. Assessment of the nutrient release from the decomposition of harvest residue

Materials and Methods

Litter bag method
Harvest residue pine and spruce needles were used for the study
Study was conducted on peatland sites in Finland (3 years) and Ireland (2 years)

Lodgepole Sitka spruce

pine needle needle
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1. Assessment of the nutrient release from the decomposition of harvest residue

Results
N and P release from harvest residue needles as % of initial mass
Finnish sites
Irish sites
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1. Assessment of the nutrient release from the decomposition of harvest residue

Publications for further studies

1. Kaila, A., Asam, Z., et al. 2012. Decomposition of Picea abies (L.) Karst. and
Pinus sylvestris L. cutting residue needles on peatlands drained for forestry -
implications for nutrient and heavy metal dynamics. Forest Ecology and
Management 277, 141–149.

2. Asam, Z. et al. 2014. Nutrient and heavy metal dynamics in decaying harvest
residue needles on drained blanket peat forests. European Journal of Forest
Research 133, 969–982.
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2. Assessment of the effect of rise in the water table on nutrient release

Materials and Methods

Laboratory microcosm incubation experiment
55—60-cm-deep peat profiles from 7 peat types from Ireland and Finland
Water level was adjusted to either 4 cm above (High WT) or 40 cm below surface (Low WT)
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2. Assessment of the effect of rise in the water table on nutrient release

Results
Pore water concentrations at a depth of 10-20 cm
R e d o x p o te n tia l (m V )

Fe (mg L-1)
400
Low Water Table
High Water Table
500 300
Low Water Table
High Water Table
400

200
300

200
100

100

0 O HUM OASH
0
O O HUM O ASH
O B BHUM M OLIG M MESO
B BHUM M OLIG M MESO

NH 4 +-N (m g L -1 )
PO4-P (mg L-1)

20
Low Water Table
High Water Table 60
Low Water Table
15 High Water Table
50

40
10
30

20
5

10

0 OHUM OASH BHUM 0

O B M OLIG M MESO O O HUM O ASH B BHUM M OLIG M MESO
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2. Assessment of the effect of rise in the water table on nutrient release

Publications for further studies

1. Kaila, A., Asam, Z. et al. 2016. Impact of Re-wetting of Forestry-Drained

Peatlands on Water Quality—a Laboratory Approach Assessing the Release of
P, N, Fe, and Dissolved Organic Carbon. Journal of Water Air Soil Pollut. 227:
292.
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3. Assessment of the contribution of brash windrows to N and P export

Materials and Methods

Laboratory-scale flume experiment Field-scale mini-catchment experiment

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3. Assessment of the contribution of brash windrows to N and P export

Results
DRP (mg L-1)

TR P (mg L-1)
2.0 0.8
Flumes with brash
Flumes without
1.6 brash 0.6
Plots with
1.2 brash
0.4
0.8

0.2
0.4
N H 4 + -N (m g L -1 )

0.0

N H 4 +-N (m g L -1 )
0.0
November 2010 February 2011 April 2011 July 2011 September 2011 December 2011 February 2012 Feb-10 Jun-10 Sep-10 Dec-10 Mar-11 Jul-11 Oct-11 Jan-12 May-12 Aug-12

0.8
2.0

1.6 0.6

1.2
0.4
0.8
0.2
0.4
N O 3 --N (m g L -1 )
N O 3 --N (m g L -1 )

0.0 0.0
November 2010 February 2011 April 2011 July 2011 September 2011 December 2011 February 2012 Feb-10 Jun-10 Sep-10 Dec-10 Mar-11 Jul-11 Oc t-11 Jan-12 May-12 Aug-12

2 .0 0.8

1 .6
0.6
1 .2
0.4
0 .8

0 .4 0.2

0 .0 0.0
November 2010 February 2011 April 2011 July 2011 September 2011 December 2011 February 2012
Feb-10 Jun-10 Sep-10 Dec-10 Ma r-11 Jul-11 Oct-11 Jan-12 May-12 Aug-12

Time since the start of experiment Time

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3. Assessment of the contribution of brash windrows to N and P export

Pore water
10 10
concentrations. Flumes with brash
Brash windrow Brash windrow free area
Flumes without brash
Brash windrow Brash windrow free area

8 8

P o r e w a t e r( mD gR- 1LP)
(+) (+)
6 6 < 1 Months
1-5 Months
(+)
6-10 Months
4 4 11-15 Months

(+) (+)
2 2

0 0
20 40 60 100 140 180 20 40 60 100 140 180
3.0 3.0
Flumes with brash Flumes without brash
P o r e w a t e4+r- N H( m -g1) L

Brash windrow Brash windrow free area Brash windrow Brash windrow free area
2.5 2.5

2.0 2.0

1.5 1.5
(-)
1.0 1.0

0.5 0.5

0.0 0.0
20 40 60 100 140 180 20 40 60 100 140 180
0.5 0.5
Flumes with brash Flumes without brash
X Data
P o r e w a t e3-r- NN O( m -g1) L

Brash windrow Brash windrow free area Brash windrow Brash windrow free area
0.4 0.4

0.3 0.3

0.2 0.2

(-) (-) (-)

0.1 0.1

0.0 0.0
20 40 60 100 140 180 20 40 60 100 140 180

Distance from the top end of the flume (cm) Distance from the top end of the flume (cm)
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3. Assessment of the contribution of brash windrows to N and P export

Publications for further studies

1. Asam, Z. et al. 2014. Export of phosphorus and nitrogen from lodgepole pine
(Pinus contorta) brash windrows on harvested blanket peat forests. Ecological
Engineering 64, 161–170.

2. O’Driscoll, C., O’Connor, M., Asam, Z. et al. 2014. Whole-tree harvesting and
grass seeding as potential mitigation methods for phosphorus export in peatland
catchments. Forest Ecology and Management 319, 176–185.
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4. Assessment of the nutrient retention efficiency of blanket peat buffer areas

Materials and Methods

Laboratory flumes were used and two separate experiments were conducted
Experiment 1. To assess the effect of high hydraulic loadings on P retention efficiency
Experiment 2. To assess the effect of high P loadings on P retention efficiency

Outer wall of the Pump

flume containing P rich Water
peat inside tank

Effluent Weir
collection
chamber Weir

Effluent

Water Reservoir
Runoff
collection
bucket Grasses

Platform scale
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4. Assessment of the nutrient retention efficiency of blanket peat buffer areas

Results

P retention efficiency of flumes under different hydraulic loadings (Exp. 1) and P loadings (Exp. 2)
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4. Assessment of the nutrient retention efficiency of blanket peat buffer areas

Results
Uptake of P by grasses before and after overland flows in Exp. 1 and 2

S o i l W E P (m g k g -1 D M )
S o i l W E P (m g k g -1 D M )

Grassed flumes, Exp. 1 Non-grassed flumes, Exp. 1

14
12
12
10
10
8
8
6
6

4 4

2 2

0 0
P o re w a t e r D R P (m g L -1 )

P o re w a t e r D R P (m g L -1 )
Before overland flow tests After overland flow tests Before overland flow tests After overland flow tests

3.5 Grassed flumes, Exp. 2 3.5

Non-grassed flumes, Exp. 2
C4
C4 C4
C4
3.0 3.0

2.5 2.5
C3 C3 C3 C3
2.0 2.0

1.5 1.5
C2 C2 C2 C2
1.0 1.0
C1 C1 C1 C1
0.5 0.5

0.0 0.0
Inlet DRP conc. With in 1 hour after... 1 week after flow Inlet DRP conc. With in 1 hour after... 1 week after flow
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4. Assessment of the nutrient retention efficiency of blanket peat buffer areas

Publications for further studies

1. Asam, Z. et al. 2012. Assessment of phosphorus retention efficiency of blanket

peat buffer areas using a laboratory flume approach. Ecological Engineering
49, 160–169.

2. O’Driscoll, C., O’Connor, M., Asam, Z., et al. 2014. Creation and functioning of
a buffer zone in an upland peat forest. Ecological Engineering 62, 83–92.
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4. Assessment of the nutrient retention efficiency of blanket peat buffer areas

Results
Proposed mini buffers method to reduce nutrients export from harvested blanket peat forests

Windrows/brash mats

b c
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Conclusions of the study

 Phosphorus is easily released from decaying harvest residue needles on harvested peatlands, whereas
N is mostly retained.

 An elevated water table results in P mobilisation from slightly and highly humified blanket peats
from Ireland and nutrient-poor, ombrotrophic peats from Finland. It also results in higher N
mobilization from nutrient-rich, minerotrophic peats.

 The release of P from brash windrows in blanket peat catchments is a significant source of P to
receiving waters. Although brash windrows do not release N during the early stages of their
decomposition, it may enhance N leaching and export.

 Conventionally-designed buffer areas have limited P retention from through-flow waters in blanket
peat catchments. In contrast, mini-buffers may be a feasible means of decreasing P export to water
courses from harvested blanket peat sites.
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Recommendations
 The removal of brash or harvest residue should be considered to decrease P and
N export from harvested blanket peatlands.

 The effect of brash removal on site nutrient capitals and the long-term
sustainability of forestry needs to be assessed.

 The feasibility and sustainability of mini-buffers should be assessed in long-term

field studies before their introduction in operational forestry.

 The factors controlling nutrient release from different types of peat under
anaerobic conditions should be investigated.
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Publications
Peer-reviewed international journal papers
 Kaila, A., Asam, Z., Sarkkola, S., Xiao, L., Laurén, A., Vasander, H., Nieminen, M.,
2012. Decomposition of harvest residue needles on peatlands drained for forestry -
Implications for nutrient and heavy metal dynamics.
Forest Ecology and Management, 277, 141–149.

 Asam, Z., Kaila, A., Nieminen, M., Sarkkola, S., O’Driscoll, C., O’Connor, M., Sana,
A., Rodgers, M., Xiao, L., 2012. Assessment of phosphorus retention efficiency of
blanket peat buffer areas using a laboratory flume approach.
Ecological Engineering, 49, 160–169.

 Asam, Z., Nieminen, M., Kaila, A., Sarkkola, S., O’Driscoll, C., O’Connor, M.,
Rodgers, M., Xiao, L., 2012. Nutrient release from brash windrows of Lodgepole pine
(Pinus contorta) as a factor for P and N export from harvested blanket peat forests.
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment (under review).

 Asam, Z., Nieminen, M., Kaila, A., Laiho, R., Sarkkola, S., O’Connor, M., O’Driscoll,
C., Rodgers, M., Xiao, L., 2012. Nutrient and heavy metal dynamics in decaying
harvest residue needles on drained blanket peat forests.
Forest Ecology and Management (under review).
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Publications
Selected conferences papers/oral presentations
 Asam, Z., Nieminen, M., Kaila, A., Sana, A., Sarkkola, S., O’Driscoll, C.,
O’Connor, M., Rodgers, M., Xiao, L., 2012. Assessment of nutrient release from
harvest residues and the roles of buffer areas and seeded vegetation in nutrient
retention in harvested blanket peat forests. Proceedings of the 14th International
Peat Congress. Stockholm, Sweden, 3-8 June 2012. Abstract nr. 313, p 199.

 Kaila, A., Asam, Z., Sarkkola, S., Xiao, L., Laurén, L., Nieminen, M., 2012. The
effect of water table rising on nutrient and dissolved organic carbon (DOC)
release from restored peatland forest. Proceedings of the 14th International Peat
Congress. Stockholm, Sweden, 3-8 June 2012. Abstract nr. 338, p 196.

 Asam, Z., O’Connor, M., O’Driscoll, C., Xiao, L., 2011. Nutrient release and
mitigation methods after clear-felling of blanket peatland forests. Technical
workshop: Assessment and mitigation of sediment and nutrient release from
forest harvesting operations in the Burrishoole Catchment in Newport, Co.Mayo.
Ireland, 19 July 2011.
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Thanks