Trafficability of fen lands under their protection and appropriate use


Fens are organic soils that are mainly used as permanent grassland. They cover large areas, e.g. 5 million hectars in Central Europe. Fens have important ecological functions as large area stores and filters for water and nutrients and as habitats for endangered plant and animal species. Hence fens have to be preserved and used appropriately. Precondition is a sufficient water supply over the entire year. This requires soil moisture contents of 70 vol-% at least and ground water levels of less than 30 cm below surface. Consequently trafficability becomes a central problem of fen use. Trafficking fen sites is necessary for an appropriate use but should not cause damages to soil or vegetation. Site specific load bearing capacity of the ground and load input by agricultural machinery have to be harmonized.
Based on extensive field trials shearing strength is used to characterize the load bearing capacity of fen grasslands. Shearing strength depends on type and density of vegetation and soil moisture contents.

Principal investigators
Hahn, Jürgen Prof. Dr. agr. (Details) (Section Biological Systems Technology)

Financer
Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt

Duration of project
Start date: 07/1996
End date: 03/2000

Research Areas
Befahrbarkeit, Niedermoor, Wiedervernässung

Publications
Annette Prochnow u. a. : Angepasstes Befahren von Niedermoor, Schriftenreihe des Landschafts-Fördervereins Nuthe-Nieplitz-Niederung e.V., Heft 3; Kraschinski, Sven: Ein verfahrenstechnischer Beitrag zum angepassten Befahren von Niedermoorgrünland, Diss. Berlin 2001

Last updated on 2022-07-09 at 23:09