A. Bardule

Latvijas Valsts mežzinātnes institūts "Silava" · Meža vides laboratorija

Rewetting (RW) and afforestation (AF) outcomes are determined by specific local conditions such as historical land use, management, soil quality, vegetation, and climate. AF and RW require suitable areas with divergent characteristics for effective implementation. AF and RW are not mutually exclusive, but rather complementary measures. Under the ri...

Emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4), particularly those from organic soils, need to be reduced in the context of climate change mitigation (CCM). Here, we estimated the greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes from nutrient-poor organic soils in cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) and highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)...

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from drained organic soils used for agriculture contribute significantly to the overall anthropogenic greenhouse gas budget in land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector. To justify the implementation of climate change mitigation measures on these lands, it is important to estimate at least the regional va...

Within this study, we evaluated the fine root (trees and understory vegetation combined) morphological traits, fine root production (FRP), and carbon (C) input with fine root litter in forest stands (dominated by either coniferous or deciduous trees) and clearcut areas (previously dominated by coniferous trees) with nutrient-rich organic soils. The...

Rewetting grasslands with organic soils is an effective environmental strategy aimed at restoring natural water levels, crucial for mitigating GHG emissions. This process involves reintroducing water to previously drained or degraded peatlands, which helps in re-establishing wetland ecosystems. According to results of other studies rewetting slows...

This study evaluated the impact of different land use types on groundwater dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and annual DOC efflux from drained peatlands to catchment runoff, providing insights into the mechanisms of carbon stock changes in peatland soils. We measured groundwater chemical properties and various environmental variables,...

Drainage of organic soil is associated with increasing soil carbon (C) efflux, which is typically linked to losses in C stock. In previous studies, soil in drained peatland forests has been reported as both a C sink and source depending on, e.g., soil nutrient and moisture regimes. However, most of the earlier research was done in boreal sites, and...

In general, the groundwater level (GWL) in forests with organic soils plays a crucial role in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from both the soil and the surface of tree stems. High GWL typically leads to anaerobic conditions in the soil, reducing the emission of GHG like nitrous oxide (N2O) and increasing methane (CH4) emissions. Understanding and m...

Deciduous tree stems can become an important source of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions especially in case of flooding or increase of the soil water-table level. So far, studies were mainly implemented in forests with organic soils, while limited information is available about mineral soils. Within this study we estimated the CH4 and...

Drained organic soils in agricultural land are considered significant contributors to total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, although the temporal and spatial variation of GHG emissions is high. Here, we present results of the study on soil-to-atmosphere fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) from drained organic (fen)...

Mercury (Hg) is a toxic contaminant that bioaccumulates in trophic chains in its organic form—methylmercury (MeHg). Hg methylation is driven by microorganisms in favourable conditions, stagnant water pools being among potential methylation hotspots. In the present study, we estimated the total Hg and MeHg concentrations in the sediments of water-fi...

Organic soils in cropland and grassland are absolutely the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Latvia contributing to output of 3.1 mill. tons CO2 eq; therefore, it is important, to evaluate different management scenarios and their effect on the GHG emissions. In this study we compared 3 scenarios of management of organic soils used...

Cultural ecosystem services (CES) are as important for human well-being as other ecosystem service groups, but they are underrepresented in the current evaluation frameworks that mostly include a limited set of CES, typically focusing on recreation and aesthetic experiences derived from nature. Thus, several significant CES are routinely omitted, e...

The scope of the study is to evaluate soil greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes from drained and naturally wet (pristine) nutrient rich mineral forest soils representing Mercurialosa mel. (drained) and Myrtillosoi-polytrichosa and Drypteriosa (wet soil) forest stand types with dominant species (aspen, birch and black alder). GHG were monitored during 12 mon...

Histosols cover about 8–10% of Lithuania’s territory and most of this area is covered with nutrient-rich organic soils (Terric Histosols). Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from drained Histosols contribute more than 25% of emissions from the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector. In this study, as the first step of examining the carb...

Impact of drainage of organic soils in forest land on soil carbon (C) stock changes is of high interest not only to accurately estimate soil C stock changes, but also to provide scientifically based recommendations for forest land management in context of climate change mitigation. To improve knowledge about long-term impact of drainage on nutrient...

Peat erosion has a significant impact on soil fertility, agricultural productivity, and climate change dynamics. Through this process, the topsoil rich in organic matter and carbon (C) is removed and can travel long distances, causing a net C loss. Additionally, peat undergoes oxidation, resulting in further C loss. In our study, we evaluated C los...

Short-rotation forest plantations on former agricultural land capture CO2, provide bioeconomic materials, and mitigate climate change. This study aimed to enhance our understanding of the long-term effects of wood ash and wastewater sludge fertilization on various tree species (birch, hybrid aspen, grey alder, black alder, and hybrid alder) in shor...

The objective of the study is to estimate soil-to-atmosphere CO2, CH4 and N2O fluxes from drained shallow organic soils in grassland in Latvia, including Impact of thickness of organic soil layer on magnitude of GHG fluxes; and Impact of organic carbon (C) content and stock in soil on magnitude of GHG fluxes.

Striving for climate neutrality and wider implementation of climate change mitigation measures including tree introduction in agricultural land, request for approaches and general allometric models for estimating carbon (C) stock in tree above-ground biomass (AGB) based on relatively easily obtainable remote sensing data is increasing. Here, we pre...

The ecosystem services framework is a convenient approach for identifying and mapping nature’s contributions to people, and an accurate assessment of ecosystem services potential is the first step in the decision support process of well-informed land management planning. The approach we use for forest ecosystem services potential assessment in Latv...

The ability to accurately assess the impact of organic soil drainage on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) is still limited. Methane (CH4) emissions are characterized by significant variations, and GHG emissions from nutrient-rich organic soil in the region have not been extensively studied. The aim of this study was to assess CH4 and nitrous oxide (N2...

This study investigates the soil organic carbon (SOC) and whole tree biomass carbon (C), soil bulk density (BD) as well as changes in these parameters in afforested areas in Latvia. The study covered 24 research sites in afforested areas—juvenile forest stands dominated by Scots pine, Norway spruce and Silver birch. The initial measurements were co...

The European Union (EU) has proposed legislative revisions to achieve climate neutrality in EU by 2050. The Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) Regulation, adopted in 2018, is being revised to ensure that accounted greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from LULUCF are balanced by equivalent accounted removals of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the a...

When it comes to greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction, the role of water tables in former peat extraction areas has received considerable interest in recent decades. This study analysed the carbon dioxide (CO 2), methane (CH 4) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) surface-to-atmosphere fluxes from a rewetted and permanently flooded former peat extraction areas in c...

This study aimed to compare the effects of whole-tree and stem-only harvesting in hemiboreal forests in Latvia. Chemistry of soil solution, precipitation, litter and needles, as well as tree parameters in regenerated stands were measured from 2012 to 2021 in oligotrophic and mesotrophic Scots pine sites with mineral soils and a eutrophic Norway spr...

In this study, we estimated the magnitude of soil-to-atmosphere carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes in deciduous tree and willow coppice based agroforestry systems in hemiboreal Latvia. We studied systems combining hybrid alder, hybrid aspen, silver birch, black alder, and willow clones with perennial reed canary gra...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of groundwater level, soil temperature and general soil chemistry on greenhouse gas (GHG)—carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O)—fluxes from tree stems in deciduous stands with nutrient-rich naturally wet and drained peat soils. In total, nine sample plots were established in the...

Pētnieciskie uzdevumi: (1) Izvērtēt iespējamos Eiropas līmeņa zemes izmantošanas, zemes izmantošanas maiņas un mežsaimniecības (ZIZIMM) sektora siltumnīcefekta gāzu (SEG) emisiju un piesaistes uzskaites regulējuma scenārijus, lai sasniegtu Latvijai noteikto mērķi. (2) Tehnisks atbalsts Latvijas viedokļa un argumentu sagatavošanā par piemērotāko ZIZ...

The reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change mitigation are global issues. Peatlands in Europe are widely distributed in the Nordic–Baltic region, and Baltic countries are some of the largest peat suppliers for horticulture in Europe. However, there is no sustainable substitute for peat in the horticulture industry. Therefore,...

Species-specific basic density (BD) data are necessary to improve the indirect methods of biomass determination. The density of tree components (e.g., bark, branches, roots) is studied much less than that of stem wood. Nevertheless, ignoring the specific BD values of these components in biomass calculations can lead to errors. The study aims to inv...

We determined the magnitude of instantaneous greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from drainage ditches in hemiboreal peatlands in Latvia during the frost-free period of 2021 and evaluated the main affecting factors. In total, 10 research sites were established in drained peatlands in Latvia, including active and abandoned peat extraction sites and peatl...

Former peat extraction fields and currently employed peatlands are significant source of GHG emissions. Total area of degraded peatlands, which are not yet afforested or flooded is 39.5 kha and the net emissions, excluding peat produced for the horticulture applications, is 0.33 mill. tons CO2 eq. Large emissions means also significant mitigation p...

The impact of the moisture regime on the carbon budget of organic soils with different nutrient statuses has not been fully studied in hemiboreal forests thus far. This study evaluated soil carbon (C) stock changes in forests with drained and undrained nutrient-rich organic soils by estimating C loss through respiration and C input through the litt...

The role of trees on agricultural land is predicted to increase rapidly in order to achieve biodiversity, environmental, and climate goals. This study demonstrated the selection and evaluation approach and assessed the suitable agricultural land for agroforestry practices in hemiboreal Latvia, which was selected as the demonstration area by synthes...

Inorganic mercury (Hg) can be methylated to the highly toxic and bioavailable methylmercury (MeHg) by microorganisms in anaerobic environments. The Hg methylation rate may be affected by forest management activities, which can influence the catchment soils, water, and sediments. Here, we investigate the influence of forest management in the form of...

We assessed total mercury (THg) concentrations and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in pristine and managed hemiboreal peatlands in Latvia, aiming to identify environmental factors that potentially affect their variation. The THg concentrations in soil ranged from <1 µg kg−1 to 194.4 µg kg−1. No significant differences between THg concentrations in d...

Outdoor recreation opportunities are crucial for sustaining people’s physical and mental health, and forests are important recreational venues in Europe, especially in its northern part. Our study sought to characterise outdoor recreation patterns and their changes in Latvia due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a representative population sur...

According to general knowledge rewetting of drained organic soils is a measure that can reduce net greenhouse gas emissions from ecosystem, however there is lack of evidence that approves such an assumption in hemiboreal forests. The aim of the study was to quantify N2O and CH4 flux from nutrient-rich organic soils in naturally wet (NWS) and draine...

In Latvia, with 53% of forest cover, many forest areas are favoured destinations for outdoor recreation in every season. Winter holidayseason of 2020/2021 in Latvia coincided with strict lockdowns when normal everyday routines of most people were significantly disrupteddue to COVID-19 pandemic, that likely changed outdoor recreation habits of peopl...

Assessments of net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in forest land with drained organic soils conducted within the scope of National GHG inventories requires reliable data on litter production and carbon (C) input to soil information. To estimate C input through tree above-ground litter, sampling of above-ground litter was done in 36 research sites i...

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is one of the most widespread and economically most important tree species in Latvia. Scots pine forest health and element flow changes have been monitored in Latvia within the International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests (ICP Forests) with assessment of crown...

The aim of the study is to elaborate scientific substantiation for transformation of buffer zones around drainage ditches into “biomass factories”

This study was designed to estimate the variation in non-volatile carbon (C) content in different above- and belowground tree parts (stem, living branches, dead branches, stumps, coarse roots and small roots) and to develop country-specific weighted mean C content values for the major tree species in hemiboreal forests in Latvia: Norway spruce (Pic...

Forest management activities in boreal and hemiboreal environments have been found to increase the concentration of carbon, nutrients, and methylmercury (MeHg) in runoff water, thus contributing to environmental quality issues. We evaluated carbon, nutrient, and MeHg concentrations in water at eight small, forested catchments on organic soils in La...

In the forest land of many European countries, including hemiboreal Latvia, organic soils are considered to be large sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. At the same time, growing efforts are expected in the near future to decrease emissions from the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry sector, including lands with organic soils to achieve...

VARAM Informatīvais ziņojums "Par siltumnīcefekta gāzu emisiju samazināšanas un oglekļa dioksīda piesaistes saistību izpildi". Situācijas apskats – Latvijas problēmas un iespējamie risinājumi

Global efforts to mitigate climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel combustion, places an expanded use of renewable energy high on the political agenda (Sridhar et al., 2014). There is an increased demand in the European Union for wood supply, and particularly for bioenergy (Nabuurs et al. 2014). Furthermore, the European...

Siltumnīcefekta gāzu emisiju samazināšanas iespējas organiskajās augsnēs lauksaimniecībā izmantojamās zemēs Starptautiska zinātniska konference "Zināšanās balstīta meža nozare"

Despite near-extinction in the nineteenth century, after efficient restoration measures the population of Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber L.) in Latvia currently is viable and growing. While the ecological effect of the species on water quality and biodiversity is generally positive, the high number of animals in production forests often creates chal...

Statistical analysis were conducted in R (R Core Team 2017) using 'stats' (R Core Team 2017) and 'agricolae' (Mendiburu 2019) packages. Analysis of variance were conducted and the results afterwards were processed with Least Significant Difference (LSD) post-hoc test.

Human intervention in global nitrogen cycling has led to excess reactive nitrogen (Nr) flows to the environment, impacting terrestrial ecosystems as well as the quality of the atmosphere and waterbodies. This paper presents the results of a study that quantified and compared the main flows of Nr through forest land and wetlands in Latvia and Estoni...

Supplemental material of publication Title: A reactive nitrogen budget for forest land and wetlands in Latvia and Estonia Authors: Arta Bārdule, Arvo Iital, Dagnija Lazdiņa, Ilze Kārkliņa, Zane Lībiete Publication based on GURINIMAS data: Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research - Manuscript ID SFOR-2020-0044

In northern Europe, largest part of non-wood forest products (NWFPs) are gathered for recreational purposes and household consumption, but considerable amount of forest berries and mushrooms are sold as well. Retail market, largely invisible for the official statistics, reveals the lifestyle-related aspects of NWFP trade and may help to understand...

The biomass production using fast-growing tree species such as hybrid aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx. x Populus tremula L.) has been recognized as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach. Growing these species can reduce the negative impact of earlier land mismanagement and at the same time provide additional biomass growth. The a...

Edible mycorrhizal fungi can be harvested in the fourth year after establishment of a hybrid aspen plantation in previous agricultural land at hemiboreal conditions. It is important to understand the role of fungi in element cycling at the ecosystem level as well as the amounts of elements, including heavy metals, that are accumulated in fruitbodie...

Fast growing tree species such as Populus spp. in short rotation woody crop (SRWC) systems could be an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach to ensure sustainable biomass production and mitigate the negative impacts on the environment caused by more intensive management aimed to promote additional biomass increment. Knowledge on vari...

Updated Latvia’s National Forestry Accounting Plan (NFAP) is elaborated under the Regulation 2018/841 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry (further in the text – LULUCF Regulation 2018/841) in the 2030 climate and energy fra...

Considering the increasing use of wood biomass for energy and the related intensification of forest management, the impacts of different intensities of biomass harvesting on nutrient leaching risks must be better understood. Different nitrogen forms in the soil solution were monitored for 3 to 6 years after harvesting in hemiboreal forests in Latvi...

LIFE REstore ieguldījums SEG uzskaites metožu pilnveidošanā, prezentācija seminārā Siltumnīcefekta gāzu (SEG) novērtēšanas metodes purvos un citās ekosistēmās Cēsu Jaunās pils Semināru zāle, Pils laukums 9, Cēsis, 08.08.2019

LIFE REstore rezultāti un to ietekme uz kūdras resursu izmantošanu

The primary objective of the study is to demonstrate climate change mitigation potential in managed wetlands by implementation of 5 different land management practices in former peat extraction sites. The secondary objective is elaboration of methodology for verifying of the impact of implemented climate change mitigation measures in comparison to...

The scope of the presented study is elaboration of CO2 , CH4 and N2O for peat extraction sites in raised and transitional bogs for different land use practices; elaboration of activity data for calculation of GHG emissions from managed wetlands; and evaluation of potential impact of management approach and land use changes on GHG emissions in forme...