Quantifying moss moisture stresses in undrained, afforested and rewetted peatlands located in Republic of Ireland using laboratory measurements and computer modelling

This study utilized site-specific peat hydrophysical properties (inverse of air-entry pressure, α; pore size distribution index, n; saturated hydraulic conductivity, Ks; and tortuosity, L) as inputs into the HYDRUS 1-D computer model for quantifying moss moisture stresses on Irish peatlands. The computed using pedotransfer functions obtained from laboratory measured bulk density (BD) % organic matter (OM). samples undrained sites (Scohaboy, Pollagoona Lough Ghe), three afforested (S18, S28 S44) rewetted (Scohaboy Pollagoona). quantified a known ecohydrological threshold −100 cm. properties, four initial WTDs (3, 8, 20 30 cm) two distinct precipitation regimes (single consecutive 4 years having severely dry [SD], extremely [ED], near normal [NN], very wet [VW] [EW] periods) were model. modelling results showed that none peatland ever reached cm in single year simulations at all WTDs. However, 4-year simulations, Scohaboy, Ghe undrained, first 516, 508, 624, 1329 517 day, respectively. In Pollagoona, Ghe, ED SD years. We concluded recolonization is likely to be successfully peatlands minimal no days.