UKPopNet

UK Population Biology Network (UKPopNet) – Research at Lake Vyrnwy UKPopNet is a scientific research network comprising of some of Britain’s leading Universities and funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and Natural England. Since 2006 several of UKPopNet’s staff and students have been working closely with the LIFE Active Blanket Bog in Wales project to gather evidence of the consequences of the moorland drain blocking and heather mowing at the Lake Vyrnwy Reserve. Impacts on soil carbon stocks, water quality and yield, vegetation structure and beetle and spider communities are all being considered. To date three major projects, seven small projects and four PhD studentships have been funded at an overall cost of ~ £1M.

Upland soils store a vast amount of carbon. One of the main research questions being tackled by UKPopNet researchers is to determine whether the moorland soils at Lake Vyrnwy produce or consume methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas. Several researchers are working together to develop predictive models that could help guide future upland management practice and help better understand likely changes due to climate change. In order to achieve this goal, factors that may affect methane emissions, such as vegetation type, soil moisture and water table height are being measured throughout the course of a year. State-of-the-art equipment is also being used to simultaneously measure gas fluxes at several different spatial scales, ranging from dinner plate- to landscape-scales to improve accuracy of the models.

     Aircraft - Landscape Scale

        Cloche - Up to 10m²

     Cover Box - Dinner Plate Scale