Torfmooskultivierungsflächen als Lebensraum für Vögel, Amphibien, Libellen und Tagfalter.

Sphagnum paludiculture as a habitat for birds, amphibians, Odonata, and Lepidoptera – What habitat quality do sustainably managed raised bogs provide? Peatland species are often highly endangered and isolated in their populations due to large-scale drainage-based use and destruction of their habitats. Current climate policy goals are leading to new approaches for a wet, sustainable use of peatland sites, so-called paludiculture. On raised bog soils, the cultivation of peat mosses (‘Sphagnum farming’) is suitable, which creates potential habitats for peatland species due to the wet conditions and the establishment of vegetation typical for raised bogs. This study investigated the extent to which this potential can be used by birds, amphibians, dragonflies, damselflies, butterflies and moths . In 2017 and 2018, comparative surveys were carried out at two Sphagnum farming sites (established from 2015 to 2016), two rewetted cut-over restoration sites, and two near-natural bogs in Lower Saxony (Germany). In particular, the Sphagnum farming sites showed high potential for characteristic peatland bird species and lowland breeders, as well as for characteristic Odonata species. For the moor frog, the only peatland amphibian species in this study, Sphagnum farming sites could serve as valuable connecting elements in habitat corridors. In contrast, the habitat quality for Lepidoptera was low due to site management and the lack of windbreak structures.