Ground vegetation has a major role in element dynamics in an ash-fertilized cut-away peatland

In Finland, recycling of wood-ash as a fertilizer has been widely studied in recent decades in peatlands drained for forestry. Wood-ash is reported to promote tree growth without any significant negative impacts on the environment and could, therefore, be a suitable option on cut-away peatlands, which are estimated to increase by 30,000 ha over the next ten years. However, the environmental effects of ash-fertilization on cut-away peatlands or on ground vegetation are not well known. We studied the effects of wood- and peat-ash application on the nutrient content in soil and plants and on the heavy metal content in the vegetation of a cut-away peatland. Six treatments of different quantities and mixtures of wood-ash, peat-ash, biotite, or Forest PK-fertilizer were replicated in three plots. Both wood- and peat-ash fertilization ensured an adequate level of nutrients for the early establishment and growth of ground vegetation and birch seedlings in a cut-away peatland. Dense pioneer moss cover was important in trapping the heavy metals, such as cadmium, which are present in the ash. Ground vegetation of mosses and herbaceous plants also had a major role in the retention of the nutrients that could otherwise have leached from the open cut-away peatland area during the early stages of afforestation. Both wood- and peat-ash proved to be suitable for the initial fertilization of afforested cut-away peatlands, but in order to guarantee a sufficient long-term potassium supply for tree growth, an application of biotite with the peat-ash is recommended.

► We studied effects of wood- and peat-ash on nutrient levels in peat and vegetation on cut-away peatland.
► Ash ensured adequate level of nutrients in peat for the early growth of plants.
► Dense pioneer moss cover was important in trapping heavy metals present in ash.
► Herbaceous plants had major role in retaining mineral nutrients, especially K.
► We recommend the recycling of peat- and wood-ash as a forest fertilizer on cut-away peatlands.