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Managing peatland vegetation for drinking water treatment
Jonathan P Ritson1,2,3, Michael Bell3, Richard E Brazier4
1Grantham Institute: Climate and Environment, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
Scientific Reports
|November 19, 2016
Summary
Degraded peatlands with vascular plants increase difficult-to-remove dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in drinking water. Restoring Sphagnum moss can improve water treatment efficacy and reduce costs.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Ecology
- Water Resource Management
Background:
- Peatlands provide essential ecosystem services, including water purification.
- Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal is critical for treating water from peat-dominated catchments.
- Peatland degradation, due to land management, pollution, and climate change, alters vegetation from Sphagnum moss to vascular plants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of vascular plant presence on peatland DOC dynamics and water treatment.
- To compare the treatability of DOC derived from vascular plants versus Sphagnum moss.
- To assess the potential of peatland restoration for improving water treatment efficiency.
Main Methods:
- Observational study of peatland vegetation changes.
- Analysis of litter recalcitrance and decomposition rates.
- Assessment of DOC characteristics and removal efficiency in water treatment processes.
Main Results:
- Vascular plants introduce more labile litter, increasing decomposition and seasonal DOC flux.
- DOC from vascular plants is less effectively removed by conventional water treatment (coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation) compared to Sphagnum-derived DOC.
- Vascular plant DOC is also less susceptible to microbial breakdown before reaching treatment facilities.
Conclusions:
- Shifts from Sphagnum moss to vascular plants in degraded peatlands negatively impact downstream water quality.
- Restoring Sphagnum moss on peatlands can enhance the removal of DOC, improving water treatment efficiency.
- Peatland ecosystem management offers a proactive approach to water treatment, complementing 'end-of-pipe' solutions.
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