Hydromorphological analysis and water balance modelling of ombro- and mesotrophic peatlands

Abstract

The hydromorphological analysis (HMA) is a method to quantify the potentials of mire revitalisation. In this study, the HMA is combined with the new peatland-tool of the water balance model AKWA-M®. This peatland-tool includes as well depth functions of the hydraulic conductivity and drainable porosity for several mire-ecotope-types as specific equations for mire evapotranspiration. The calculations were applied in several peatlands and mires of the German-Czech Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge/Krušné hory). The simulation results show that the chosen depth functions are valuable for the water balance calculation of mire ecotopes with a fully developed akrotelm like ombro- and mesotrophic peatlands. For degenerated peat soil or regenerating mires it is necessary to improve the model and the parameter calibration, especially the depth functions, with additional measured data in different peatlands.