Restoration of floating mat bog vegetation after eutrophication damages by improving water quality in a small pond

Published source details Tsujino R., Fujita N., Katayama M., Kawase D., Matsui K., Seo A., Shimamura T., Takemon Y., Tsujimura N., Yumoto T. & Ushimaru A. (2010) Restoration of floating mat bog vegetation after eutrophication damages by improving water quality in a small pond. Limnology, 11, 289-297.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Divert/replace polluted water source(s) Action Link

Divert/replace polluted water source(s)

A study in 1980–2006 in a floating bog in Japan (Tsujino et al. 2010) found that after removing polluting water sources (sewage and tap water), cover of Sphagnum moss increased. Cover of vascular plant species showed mixed responses. Between 1980 and 2006, the area of moss hummocks (containing blunt-leaved bog moss Sphagnum palustre) increased from 5,900 m² to 8,500 m². The area of moss mats (dominated by feathery bog moss Sphagnum cuspidatum) increased from 420 m² to 1,010 m². Of nine abundant vascular plant species, cover of three decreased (including sedge Carex thunbergii and bogbean Menyanthes trifoliata), cover of three increased (including swamp millet Isachne globosa) and cover of three did not change (including common reed Phragmites australis). Historically, the lake under the bog was polluted by sewage from a hospital, discharge/leakage of tap water from a purification plant and runoff from a road. Interventions to reduce pollution were (a) construction of a sewage system in the 1960s and (b) pumping of tap water leakage from 2003. Deliberate tap water discharge also stopped in the 1960s. Road runoff continued. Vegetation cover was extracted from maps made in 1980 and 2006.

(Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)