Hydrological model for decision-making: Männikjärve bog case study, Estonia

Abstract

In order to support the conservation of bog ecosystem over its geographic range and its genetic diversity, marginal areas of lower quality as a result of damage or degradation which abut active raised bogs may need to be included, protected and, where practicable, regenerated. There are very few intact or near-intact raised bogs in Europe, except in Finland and Sweden where active raised bogs are the predominant mire complex type in hemiboreal and southern boreal regions (European Commission, 2013). Leaf area index is an important parameter as it emblematize vegetation. After the construction of drainage, bogs usually become overgrown with trees, the restoration of the ecosystem requires vegetation manipulation. There are many degraded bogs in Estonia and Latvia that have overgrown with trees, and this type of simulation model would help to calculate the right tree cutting intensity to reduce the impact of evaporation and interception of trees on the water balance of the bog, thereby contributing to the restoration of the bogs. This article describes the case study of Männikjärve’s bog where system dynamics simulation model for decision-making, built in Stella Architect environment, was validated.