Wetland observatories for rewetting of drained peatlands (ReWeT-DK)

ReWet is currently establishing four observatories on drained peatlands in Denmark. These observatories will serve as platforms for ecosystem monitoring, experimental research, technological development and demonstration. The objective of ReWet is to facilitate climate smart management and land use change related to agriculture and forestry on peat soils  The ReWet observatories will focus on measurements of fluxes of greenhouse gases (GHG), energy, water and matter (including major nutrients and dissolved carbon) in the interface of the upper groundwater, soil, vegetation and the atmosphere under different rewetting strategies and land use combinations. The ecosystem monitoring will include biodiversity namely vegetation composition and soil microbial communities. The vertical movement of the peat surface will be monitored using dynamic radar reflectors. The monitoring and research carried out at the observatories will, in combination with nationwide  soil databases, enable development of science based national strategies for rewetting of temperate wetlands like in Denmark to achieve substantially lower GHG emissions at national scale, less nutrient pollution of aquatic ecosystems and increased landscape biodiversity.