The importance of bogs for climate protection

The importance of bogs for climate protection

nature conservation and climate protection are closely interlinked. In this question, no landscape forms as significantly as bogs. Moore are complex and delicate ecosystems that play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle and thus make an important contribution to climate protection.

What are Moore?

Definition and origin

Moore are moist to wet landscapes, also referred to as Wetlands, which are characterized by the excess of precipitation compared to evaporation. This specialty leads to the accumulation of water, which leads to a lack of oxygen and thus to growth specialized plants. Due to the oxygen -poor soil, these plants decompose very slowly after their death and it forms for thousands of years of peat, with a bog being created.

types of bogs

Moore can be roughly divided into raised bogs and low bogs. Hochmoors form in areas where rainfall represent the main water. To a certain extent, they grow beyond the groundwater and upwards from the surrounding area. Lower bogies, on the other hand, form in water -rich lowlands, often near rivers or lakes, and are covered with water all year round.

The biological diversity in bogs

Moore are unique and specialized habitats. The lack of nutrients and the low -oxygen surface make life in these areas difficult for many plants and animals. Nevertheless, numerous species have adapted to the extreme conditions and contribute to impressive biodiversity.

plant world

In German bogs you will find a fifth of all local plant species. Typical raised bog plants are peat moss, the moss berry and the sundew. In Lower bogs, other types such as segments, rushes and various shiny can be located.

animal world

Many specialized animal species find an ideal habitat in bogs. The bogs are particularly important for different bird species. Furthermore, they are habitat for amphibians, insects and mammals. The species -rich fauna is a good indicator of the importance of bogs for biological diversity.

The importance of bogs for climate protection

Now for the most important point of our topic: the importance of bogs for climate protection. How exactly do bogs contribute to climate protection?

carbon storage

Moore are true giants when it comes to storing carbon. Although they only cover three percent of the surface of the earth, bogs store twice as much carbon as all forests worldwide. In Germany, about 58 percent of the carbon stored in floors are bound in bogs. This makes Moore the largest terrestrial carbon store.

If you are intact, Moore continuously absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and store it as a carbon in the peat. In this way, bogs contribute to reducing the amount of climate -damaging greenhouse gas in the atmosphere and thus braking climate change.

Danger from drainage and destruction

However, the drainage and destruction of bogs releases the greenhouse gases bound in the peat and can transform the bogs of carbon sinks into CO2 sources. Around 15 percent of all bogs have already been destroyed worldwide. In Germany and Europe, the bogs are even more affected. Here, estimated 90 percent of the bogs are drained and thus disturbed in their natural functioning.

The drainage of bogs, for example for agricultural use or peat extraction, also has a direct impact on climate change. The drainage supplies the peat layers with oxygen, causing the organic materials stored in it to be decomposed and released as CO2.

Intact bogs are therefore indispensable for climate protection. They not only contribute to reducing greenhouse gases, but also help to alleviate the negative effects of climate change.

measures to protect the bog

In order to maintain the important role of bogs for climate protection and to prevent the release of greenhouse gases from drained bogs, targeted protection and renaturation measures are necessary.

Renaturation of bogs

The renaturation of bogs aims to restore the functionality of the bogs. This can be achieved by rewetting the dry -laid surfaces. The water is brought back to the moor landscape to restore the vital functions of the bogs and prevent the release of greenhouse gases.

Moore in climate policy

The role of the bog for climate protection is also recognized at the political level. National and international programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions often contain measures to protect and renaturate bogs. Such an initiative is, for example, the Bonn moor agreement, an international agreement to protect the bogs.

FAZIT

The importance of bogs for climate protection cannot be assessed highly enough. Thanks to their enormous carbon storage capacity and the specialization of many types in these unique habitats, you make a valuable contribution to the stabilization of our climate and to maintain biological diversity. In order to maintain and strengthen these important functions, targeted protection and renaturation measures are required.

Everyone can also contribute to the preservation of the bogs by deliberately avoiding peat products and is committed to the protection and renaturation of the bogs. Because the preservation of our bogs is not only a question of nature conservation, but also a fundamental prerequisite for successful climate protection.