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Aims of the Project
The Red Bog reserve is the second biggest raised bog in Poland with regard to its area and probably the only big bog of this type preserved in natural state in the entire country. Due to wide-spread endanger of wetland habitats by eutrophication and drying up, investigation of ecological relationships on the relatively little transformed sites is getting a lot of importance and causes that the Red Bog is area of unique value on the European scale. The majority of phytocenosis characteristic for peatlands of the Central Europe (20 plant communities), entire community of ungulates mammals – elk (Alces alces), red deer (Cervus elaphus) together with population of wolf (Canis lupus), and extinction endanger in Central and Western Europe birds of prey species – Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Greater-Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga), Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus) and species endanger in the global scale – Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola) are present. Due to relatively vast area, a complete gradient from raised bog in the centre, throughout transitional peatland, to mire in the southern part is observed in the Red Bog area. Additionally, the vegetation-habitat zones, which differentiation is related to trophic level and hydrological conditions, are composed in the very clear sequence.
Regardless of non-questionable nature value and primary assessment and analysis of the scientific research results conducted in this area, the Red Bog reserve is not yet scientifically documented and mapped in methodological way. Moreover, we are not able to ascertain, how stabile is this unique system (considerable development of Alder buckthorn (Frangula alnus) and pine forest may indicate some significant changes in water recharge mechanism of the bog). Therefore, the direct aim of the project is the recognition of ecological relationships that decide about biodiversity of raised and transitional bogs. Description of relationships between water and soil (including soil-forming processes) conditions and plant communities and relationships between ungulates herbivorous and a large predators will enable for formulating of raised and transitional bogs protection and restoration principles.
Environmental documentation and recognition of ecological relationships of the Red Bog requires complex, laborious, interdisciplinary research and exceeds financial capabilities of the domestic funds. Financial aid of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism is all the more meaningful since cognitive aspect of this research has international dimension.
During four year of project implementation the following activities will be carried out:
- recognition and documentation of existing state,
- protection strategy formulation,
- ecological relations study.
Those tasks will be implemented by seven research teams which are specialized in the field of:
- hydrology and hydrogeology,
- meteorology,
- hydrogenic sites and peat soils,
- botany - forest and non forest plants,
- mammals,
- birds
- insects.
The additional team will be responsible for GIS and data bases documentation.
