From Wasteland to Natural Treasure: Towards an Ecosystem Services Framework for South East Australia's Upland Peatlands

Abstract

This project explores the question: how can understanding of the characteristics and services delivered by South East Australian upland peatlands be improved to enhance their management? South East Australian upland peatlands are a rare type of freshwater wetland. They provide many important ecosystem services, including surface water supply and sediment filtration. The majority of South East Australian upland peatlands are found in national parks, but they are still being degraded. The current management of upland peatlands is inadequate because there is a lack of understanding of their characteristics and values. This deficiency arises from ambiguous peatland terminology and classification, as well as a lack of integrated information. Further, the ecosystem services provided by upland peatlands have not been systematically identified. In order to address these limitations, the current study considers three research sub-questions: 1. Can upland peatlands in South East Australia be understood as a distinct system for management purposes? 2. What ecosystem services are provided by upland peatlands in South East Australia? 3. What indicators can be used to assess the ecosystem services provided by upland peatlands in South East Australia? The first sub-question was investigated by comparing the characteristics of upland peatlands across the Australian Alps, New England Tablelands, South Eastern Highlands and Sydney Basin bioregions. The analysis shows that they share most characteristics, and can be understood as a distinct, although spatially disjunct, system for management purposes. The second research sub-question was explored using the “Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services” framework. The review demonstrates that upland peatlands provide many provisioning, regulating and cultural services, with regulating services being particularly important. Cultural services are rarely considered in peatland research literature, and deserve greater attention. The final research sub-question was addressed by identifying potential indicators for each ecosystem service, and evaluating these against key criteria, including data availability. Potential indicators exist for every ecosystem service, but this potential is limited by a lack of available data. The study identifies directions for future monitoring and research. Show more