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Downloaded on 2017-02-12T14:24:20Z the Impact of Conifer Plantation Forestry on The Title The impact of conifer plantation forestry on the ecology of peatland lakes Author(s) Drinan, Thomas J. Publication date 2012-09 Original citation Drinan, T. J. 2012. The impact of conifer plantation forestry on the ecology of peatland lakes. PhD Thesis, University College Cork. Type of publication Doctoral thesis Link to publisher's http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969712014313 version http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10750-012-1230-x http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320712004211 Access to the full text of the published version may require a subscription. Rights © 2012, Thomas J. Drinan http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ Item downloaded http://hdl.handle.net/10468/951 from Downloaded on 2017-02-12T14:24:20Z The impact of conifer plantation forestry on the ecology of peatland lakes Thomas J. Drinan A thesis submitted to the National University of Ireland, Cork, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Head of School: Prof. John O’Halloran Research Supervisors: Dr Simon S. C. Harrison Prof. John O’Halloran School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Science, Engineering and Food Science, University College Cork September 2012 Declaration This work has not previously been accepted in substance for any degree and is not being concurrently submitted in candidature for any degree. This thesis is the result of my own independent work/investigation, except where otherwise stated. Signed ……………..……………… Date …………………………….. i Abstract Blanket bog lakes are a characteristic feature of blanket bog habitats and harbour many rare and threatened invertebrate species. Despite their potential conservation value, however, very little is known about their physico-chemical or biological characteristics in western Europe, and their reference conditions are still unknown in Ireland. Furthermore, they are under considerable threat in Ireland from a number of sources, particularly afforestation of their catchments by exotic conifers. Plantation forestry can potentially lead to the increased input of substances including hydrogen ions (H+), plants nutrients, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), heavy metals and sediment. The aims of this study were to investigate the effect of conifer plantation forestry on the hydrochemistry and ecology of blanket bog lakes in western Ireland. Lake hydrochemistry, littoral Chydoridae (Cladocera) and littoral macroinvertebrate communities were compared among replicate lakes selected from three distinct catchment land use categories: i) unplanted blanket bog only present in the catchment, ii) mature (closed-canopy) conifer plantation forests only present in the catchment and iii) catchments containing mature conifer plantation forests with recently clearfelled areas. All three catchment land uses were replicated across two geologies: sandstone and granite. Lakes with afforested catchments across both geologies had elevated concentrations of phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N), total dissolved organic carbon (TDOC), aluminium (Al) and iron (Fe), with the highest concentrations of each parameter recorded from lakes with catchment clearfelling. Dissolved oxygen concentrations were also significantly reduced in the afforested lakes, particularly the clearfell lakes. ii This change in lake hydrochemistry was associated with profound changes in lake invertebrate communities. Within the chydorid communities, the dominance of Alonopsis elongata in the unplanted blanket bog lakes shifted to dominance by the smaller bodied Chydorus sphaericus, along with Alonella nana, Alonella excisa and Alonella exigua, in the plantation forestry-affected lakes, consistent with a shift in lake trophy. Similarly, there was marked changes in the macroinvertebrate communities, especially for the Coleoptera and Heteroptera assemblages which revealed increased taxon richness and abundance in the nutrient-enriched lakes. In terms of conservation status, despite having the greatest species-quality scores (SQS) and species richness, three of the four International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red-listed species of Coleoptera and Odonata recorded during the study were absent from lakes subject to catchment clearfelling. The relative strengths of bottom-up (forestry-mediated nutrient enrichment) and top-down (fish) forces in structuring littoral macroinvertebrate communities was investigated in a separate study. Nutrient enrichment was shown to be the dominant force acting on communities, with fish having a lesser influence. These results confirmed that plantation forestry poses the single greatest threat to the conservation status of blanket bog lakes in western Ireland. The findings of this study have major implications for the management of afforested peatlands. Further research is required on blanket bog lakes to prevent any further plantation forestry-mediated habitat deterioration of this rare and protected habitat. iii Table of contents Page Declaration ................................................................................................................... i Abstract ....................................................................................................................... ii Table of contents ....................................................................................................... iv Chapter 1 – General Introduction ............................................................................ 1 1.1. Irish peatland ..................................................................................................... 2 1.2. Blanket bog water bodies .................................................................................. 3 1.3. Conifer plantation forestry in Ireland ................................................................ 4 1.4. Effects of plantation forestry on the hydrochemistry of surface waters ............ 5 1.5. Ecological impacts of plantation forestry on surface waters ............................. 6 1.6. Global stressors of lake habitat quality ............................................................. 7 1.7. Study objectives ................................................................................................ 8 1.8. References ....................................................................................................... 12 Chapter 2 – Variation in the physico-chemical and biological characteristics between upland and lowland (Atlantic) blanket bog lakes in western Ireland .. 24 2.1. Summary ......................................................................................................... 25 2.2. Introduction ..................................................................................................... 27 2.3. Materials and methods ..................................................................................... 30 2.3.1. Study sites ................................................................................................. 30 2.3.2. Water chemistry sampling and analysis.................................................... 34 2.3.3. Chydoridae sampling ................................................................................ 36 2.3.4. Littoral macroinvertebrate sampling ......................................................... 36 2.3.5. Macrophyte surveys .................................................................................. 37 2.3.6. Statistical analyses .................................................................................... 38 iv 2.4. Results ............................................................................................................. 40 2.4.1. Physico-chemical characteristics .............................................................. 40 2.4.2. Chydoridae communities .......................................................................... 47 2.4.3. Littoral macroinvertebrate communities ................................................... 55 2.4.4. Macrophyte communities ......................................................................... 61 2.4.5. Species rarity and uncommon species ...................................................... 63 2.5. Discussion ....................................................................................................... 64 2.6. Conclusions ..................................................................................................... 71 2.7. References ....................................................................................................... 72 Chapter 3 – The impact of catchment conifer plantation forestry on the hydrochemistry of peatland lakes ........................................................................... 85 3.1. Summary ......................................................................................................... 86 3.2. Introduction ..................................................................................................... 87 3.3. Materials and methods ..................................................................................... 91 3.3.1. Site description ......................................................................................... 91 3.3.1.1. Study lakes ........................................................................................ 91 3.3.1.2. Clearfell site – Glennamong.............................................................. 92 3.3.2. Water chemistry sampling .......................................................................
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