Anja Prager

Summary Sphagnum farming can substitute peat with renewable biomass and thus help mitigate climate change. Large volumes of the required founder material can only be supplied sustainably by axenic cultivation in bioreactors. We established axenic in vitro cultures from sporophytes of 19 Sphagnum species collected in Austria, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands, Russia, and Sweden: S. angustifolium , S. balticum , S. capillifolium , S. centrale , S. compactum , S. cuspidatum , S. fallax , S. fimbriatum , S. fuscum , S. lindbergii , S. medium/divinum , S. palustre , S. papillosum , S. rubellum , S. russowii , S. squarrosum , S. subnitens , S. subfulvum and S. warnstorfii . These species cover five of the six European Sphagnum subgenera; namely, Acutifolia , Cuspidata , Rigida , Sphagnum and Squarrosa . Their growth was measured in suspension cultures, whereas their ploidy was determined by flow cytometry and compared with the genome size of Physcomitrella patens . We identified haploid and diploid Sphagnum species, found that their cells are predominantly arrested in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, and did not find a correlation between plant productivity and ploidy. DNA barcoding was achieved by sequencing introns of the BRK1 genes. With this collection, high‐quality founder material for diverse large‐scale applications, but also for basic Sphagnum research, is available from the International Moss Stock Center.

Sphagnum farming - the production of Sphagnum biomass on rewetted bogs - helps towards achieving global climate goals by halting greenhouse gas emissions from drained peat and by replacing peat with a renewable biomass alternative. Large-scale implementation of Sphagnum farming requires a wide range of know-how, from initial species selection up to the final production and use of Sphagnum biomass based growing media in horticulture. This article provides an overview of relevant knowledge accumulated over the last 15 years and identifies open questions.

Alder (Alnus) carr peats have only rarely been subject of palaeoecological research because their mostly bad preservation prevents successful reconstruction of local and regional vegetation development by means of macrofossil and pollen analysis. To test the potential of non-pollen palynomorphs as an additional source of information, surface samples from five different types of substrates and three different Alder forest types were analysed on microfossils with special focus on non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs). Forty-six new types of NPPs, mostly fungal spores and remains of decomposed wood, were described and illustrated. Ordination of the more common NPPs revealed a good differentiation between substrate groups and — to a lesser extent — site types. Comparison with microfossil data from Alder carr peat showed that the ecological information derived from the modern samples is consistent with the environmental conditions reconstructed from palaeoecological data (pollen, macrofossils, degree of decomposition) from the peat core. The analysis of NPPs in surface samples is a promising tool to assess the indicator value of NPPs, allowing an improved interpretation of fossil data. The fact that 2.6 times more NPP types than pollen types were found in the fossil samples illustrates the importance and potential of NPPs for palaeo-palynological research.

In ombrotrophic, nutrient-poor peatlands, the cultivation of peatmoss (Sphagnum spp.) is a promising paludiculture option. Since 2001 we have been studying peatmoss cultivation (‘Sphagnum farming’) in greenhouse and field experiments, paying special attention to propagation, propagule storage, establishment, productivity and regeneration. Our studies show that Sphagnum farming in Germany may provide a sustainable high-quality alternative to fossil white peat as a raw material for horticultural growing media. Sphagnum farming is, furthermore, a climate-friendly and sustainable land use option for abandoned cutover bogs and degraded bog grassland.

Alder (Alnus) wood peats have only rarely been subject of palaeoecological research because their bad preservation generally prevents successful reconstruction of local and regional vegetation development by means of macrofossil and pollen analysis. To test the potential of non-pollen palynomorphs as an additional source of information, an Alder peat core from the Ziese river valley (NE-Germany) was analysed for macro- and microfossils with special focus on non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs). 129 new types of NPPs, mostly fungal spores and remains of decomposed wood, were identified. In this paper we describe 12 new types; 13 other new types are described by Prager et al. [Prager, A., Barthelmes, A., Theuerkauf, M., Joosten, H., 2006. Non-pollen palynomorphs from modern Alder carrs and their potential for interpreting microfossil data from peat. Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol. 141, doi:10.1016/j.revpalbo.2006.03.015]. In addition 25 types already described in literature were used for interpretation of fossil samples. The pollen and macrofossil content revealed that the upper section of the core has been formed in a very wet Alder carr and Willow–Alder-shrub. For the lower, strongly decomposed section, NPPs were necessary to reconstruct an Alder carr as the peat forming vegetation. Our research reaffirms that substantial additional ecological information can be derived from analysing NPPs, especially in highly decomposed Alder peats.

Abstract Alder wood peat is regularly found in central Europe, but palaeoecological studies of alder wood peat are rare, mainly because of lack of identifiable pollen and macrofossils. One central question is whether alder wood peat accumulates under alder carr vegetation (primary) or as displacement peat with alder roots growing into existing peat formed under open fen vegetation (secondary). Standard palaeoecological methods have proven unsuited to solve this question. This paper presents a surface sample study testing whether non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) can be used for identifying various types of fen vegetation, especially alder carrs, and for reconstructing the formation of wood peat. Different substrate types (litter, moss, dead wood, water and exposed peat surface) were sampled in 10 alder carrs, one birch carr and three sites with open fen vegetation in NE-Germany and analysed for pollen and NPPs. Vegetation relevees were recorded and water and soil conditions were measured. We overall recorded 412 NPP types, including 36 known EMA types (recorded in alder carr) and 51 HDV types (recorded in other ecosystems). For present publication we selected the 96 most abundant and characteristic NPPs (including 14 HDV types and 36 known EMA types). 46 NPP types are newly described and illustrated. Our study shows that, opposed to pollen, NPP types clearly reflect the different fen vegetation types making NPPs a valuable tool in palaeoecological studies of fen peat.

Digitalisierung und Nachhaltigkeit sind Megatrends der Gegenwart und der Zukunft. Die Digitalisierung bietet das Potenzial, das Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement von Unternehmen zu unterstützen. Die Nachhaltigkeitsplattform „EcoHub“ erlaubt es, Unternehmensdaten mit Bezug zur Nachhaltigkeit an einer zentralen Stelle unter Berücksichtigung von Aspekten der Datensicherheit und Zugriffsberechtigung zu sammeln und als zentrale Datensenke der weiteren Analyse und für die Rückkopplung im Unternehmen zur Verfügung zu stellen.

Alnus glutinosa-dominated peatlands are widespread in central Europe, but the generally bad preservation of micro- and macrofossils has hampered palaeoecological research of their peats. Because of its large carbon sequestration rate, however, peat accumulation in forested peatlands is of special interest for climate change research. This study identifies indicator groups for various types of alder (A. glutinosa) carr and sedge (Carex) fen vegetation, elaborated by analysis of non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) from peat and surface samples. The indicator value of fungal spores and decomposition products of wood was tested by correlation with pollen (especially alnus) and macrofossils. Only few indicators of alder carr also occurred with low and constant values during distinct open sedge fen phases, which indicates that small and plane shaped NPPs can be dispersed extra-locally. The diversity and abundance of NPPs appeared to depend on vegetation type and resulting nutrient supply and to water regime and resulting decomposition intensity during peat development.

Peatland degradation through drainage and peat extraction have detrimental environmental and societal consequences. Rewetting is an option to restore lost ecosystem functions, such as carbon storage, biodiversity and nutrient sequestration. Peat mosses (Sphagnum) are the most important peat-forming species in bogs. Most Sphagnum species occur in nutrient-poor habitats; however, high growth rates have been reported in artificial nutrient-rich conditions with optimal water supply. Here, we demonstrate the differences in nutrient dynamics of 12 Sphagnum species during their establishment in a 1-year field experiment at a Sphagnum paludiculture area in Germany. The 12 species are categorized into three groups (slower-, medium- and fast-growing). Establishment of peat mosses is facilitated by constant supply of nutrient-rich, low pH, and low alkalinity surface water. Our study shows that slower-growing species (S. papillosum, S. magellancium, S. fuscum, S. rubellum, S. austinii; often forming hummocks) displayed signs of nutrient imbalance. These species accumulated higher amounts of N, P, K and Ca in their capitula, and had an elevated stem N:K quotient (>3). Additionally, this group sequestered less C and K per m2 than the fast and medium-growing species (S. denticulatum, S. fallax, S. riparium, S. fimbriatum, S. squarrosum, S. palustre, S. centrale). Lower lawn thickness may have amplified negative effects of flooding in the slower-growing species. We conclude that nutrient dynamics and carbon/nutrient sequestration rates are species-specific. For bog restoration, generating ecosystem services or choosing suitable donor material for Sphagnum paludiculture, it is crucial to consider their compatibility with prevailing environmental conditions.

The collection of papers presented in this book illustrates the recent progress made in varved sediment research and highlights the large variety of methodological approaches and research directions applied. The contributions cover monitoring of modern sediment fluxes using sediment traps; geochronological and sedimentological analyses of annually laminated lacustrine sediments or varves; and multiproxy investigations, including geochemical and biological proxies as well as spatiotemporal analyses based on multicore studies supported by satellite images and X-ray computed tomography (CT). The scientific issues discuss the influences of hydrological and climatological phenomena on short-term changes in sediment flux, the relationships between biogeochemical (limnological) processes in the water column and the formation of varves, the preservation of environmental signals in varved sediments, and possibilities of synchronizing varved records with other high-resolution environmental archives such as tree rings.

Fossil wood and varved lake sediments allow proxy analysis with exceptionally high, (sub-)annual resolution. Both archives provide dating through ring and layer counting, yet with different accuracy. In wood, counting errors are small and can be eliminated through cross-dating because tree-rings show regionally synchronous patterns. In varved sediments, counting errors are larger and cross-dating is hampered by missing regional patterns in varve parameters. Here, we test whether annual pollen analysis is suited to synchronize varve records. To that end, annual pollen deposition was estimated in three short cores from two lakes in north-eastern Germany for the period 1980–2017 CE. Analysis has focused on Fagus sylvatica and Picea abies, which show the strongest annual variations in flowering (mast). For both tree taxa, annual flowering variations recorded by forest and pollen monitoring are well represented in varved lake sediments, hence indeed allow us to synchronize the records. Some pollen mast events were not recognized, which may relate to sampling uncertainties, redeposition or regional variations in flowering. In Fagus sylvatica, intense flowering limits wood growth in the same year. Peaks in pollen deposition hence correlate with minima in tree-ring width, which provides a link between varved lake sediments and fossil wood.

Summary The cultivation of Sphagnum mosses reduces CO 2 emissions by rewetting drained peatlands and by substituting peat with renewable biomass. ‘Sphagnum farming’ requires large volumes of founder material, which can only be supplied sustainably by axenic cultivation in bioreactors. We established axenic in-vitro cultures from sporophytes of 19 Sphagnum species collected in Austria, Germany, Latvia, Netherlands, Russia and Sweden, namely S. angustifolium, S. balticum, S. capillifolium, S. centrale, S. compactum, S. cuspidatum, S. fallax, S. fimbriatum, S. fuscum, S. lindbergii, S. medium/divinum, S. palustre, S. papillosum, S. rubellum, S. russowii, S. squarrosum, S. subnitens, S. subfulvum , and S. warnstorfii . These species cover five of the six European Sphagnum sections, namely Acutifolia, Cuspidata, Rigida, Sphagnum and Squarrosa . Their growth was measured in axenic suspension cultures, whereas their ploidy was determined by flow cytometry and compared with the genome size of Physcomitrella patens . We identified haploid and diploid Sphagnum species, found that their cells are predominantly arrested in the G1-phase of the cell cycle, and did not find a correlation between plant productivity and ploidy. With this collection, high-quality founder material for diverse large-scale applications but also for basic Sphagnum research is available from the International Moss Stock Center (IMSC).