Parallel histories? A comparative GIS-based study of peat subsidence in Donaumoos and Rhinluch

Peatlands are important long-term carbon sinks that also contribute significantly to water regulation. However, over the past centuries, many Central European peatlands have been heavily modified by human activity. One key consequence of these interventions is peat subsidence resulting from drainage and surface lowering. Understanding the extent and development of this process is essential for reconstructing long-term changes in wetland landscapes.

This poster explores peat subsidence over the last 250 years in two lowland regions: the Donaumoos fen in Bavaria and the Rhinluch fen in Brandenburg. Both areas were subject to major drainage efforts and canal construction beginning in the 18th centuries. Based on old maps from different time periods, we trace spatial and temporal patterns of surface change and land transformation. Therefore, contour lines were vectorised and interpolated into DEMs. Due to further calculations peat subsidence rate could be indentified (and show transitions). Intersection of the peatsubsidence with the spatial density of the ditches indicate the most intensive time period of human intervention on the peatlands.

The analysis investigates whether and how the development of peat subsidence differs between the two regions. While both have been significantly shaped by human interventions, the cartographic data allow for a comparative perspective on the dynamics of peatland transformation. Moreover, this approach provides a basis for estimating historical carbon losses associated with peat degradation—an essential step for understanding long-term environmental impacts.