PlanetEarth: Burning patches of peatland to encourage grouse alters the UK’s upland stream ecosystems, scientists say.
The study, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, says an influx of material from burnt peatlands affects water quality in some upland streams which, in turn, affects their biodiversity.
‘In streams where burning has taken place nearby, higher sediment and organic carbon levels are associated with a decline in mayflies, stoneflies and other macro-invertebrate species,’ says Dr Sorain…