sussex wetland conference: harriett orr

Wetlands and Climate Change

Harriet Orr Research Scientist, Climate Change, Evidence Directorate

Mike AcremanWetland Hydrologist, Centre For Ecology and Hydrology

6th January 2012

Adapting Wetlands to Climate Change:a toolkit for wetland managers

Wetlands are likely to be vulnerable

Why a wetland tool?

50 yr Wetland vision for Englandwww.wetlandvision.org.uk

Doesn’t include climate change

Opportunity to build adaptation tool

Choosing sustainable wetland type

Risk-based tool-kit

A tool for wetland managers

assess sensitivity of existing or new wetlands

Identify when to change management

Signpost adaptation options

“My boss wants an estimate by this afternoon of whether our wetlands are at risk from climate change”

“I am about to spend £200,000 on my wetland, I need to be certain that my plans are climate proof”

Assumption

Hydrology is the key characteristic of a wetland that will be impacted

location

interest feature

water mechanism

N England

river-fed

Vegetation

50% 30% 20%

Tier 1 tool

wetland type

Wet grassland

How do we score impact?

Hydrology

Gross water balance

Birds

Flooding in winter and spring

Vegetation

Water table regime

Historical environment

Depth of water table

http://www.ceh.ac.uk/sci_programmes/Water/WetlandsandClimate.html

On-line, free to use now

Dealing with uncertainty

• Climate projections uncertain • UKCP09 10,000 realisations

Feedback

Use the tool

contact us if need more help

Tell us if it helps your decision making

What could be improved?

Can we contact you?

Harriet.orr@environment-agency.gov.uk

Plant community trajectories

Wetland soil properties

Peat type Sample

depth (m) Specific yield cc/cc

Hydraulic conductivity (m/day)

Sphagnum moss peat

Live, un-decomposed 0-0.1 0.86 Un-decomposed 0.15-0.25 0.6 32.9 Un-decomposed 0.45-0.55 0.48 0.9 Moderately decomposed (woody)

0.35-0.45 0.23 0.12

Woody peat Moderately decomposed 0.35-0.45 0.27 4.3 Moderately well

decomposed 0.6-0.7 0.19 0.48

Herbaceous peat

Slightly decomposed 0.25-0.35 0.57 11.1

Moderately decomposed 0.7-0.8 0.13 0.006 Decomposed peat

Well decomposed 0.5-0.6 0.08 0.004