Ammonia, killer of our peatlands
Dr Netty van Dijk, Centre of Ecology and Hydrology
Thursday 21st December 2023, 6pm
Lecture Theatre, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh
Abstract: There are several threats to our peatbogs. The most widely known are the ‘harvesting’ of the peat and the drainage of the sites and overgrazing. Another threat is the damage caused by air pollution and especially by Nitrogen deposition. Peat bogs are one of the most sensitive habitats for Nitrogen pollution. In this talk I will show where this Nitrogen comes from and will give examples of the damage, especially the ammonia (NH3), can do to our peatbogs.
Netty worked until very recently as a scientist at UKCEH, and her main focus is on the effects of NH3 and N-deposition on sensitive habitats (mainly lichens and bryophytes) both in field experiments (e.g. N field manipulation experiments) and in situ situations (e.g. peatbogs in Northern Ireland). Within this work she also studies the use of bio-indicators as a proxy of ecosystem change. She has a lot of experience in measuring NH3 with low cost methods and several analytical instruments. She is very experienced in field research, not only across the UK but also in Europe and Sri Lanka.
