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even be successful for revegetating the area, much less <br />revegetating it with the original species composition. Variables <br />affecting the survivability of the root stocks are not known <br />precisely but may include the following. <br />• timing and length of the excavation and stockpiling <br />period, <br />• character (size, shape, thickness of soil cover) of <br />the stockpiles, <br />• timing of the replanting operation, <br />• weather conditions during the excavation and stock <br />piling period, <br />• weather conditions during and after replanting, <br />• physical and chemical characteristics of the soils in <br />the replanting area, <br />• biological characteristics of the individual species <br />40 present in the fen. <br />• viability of resident microbial populations in the <br />stockpiles. <br />Given these uncertainties, and the fact that a certain <br />proportion of mortality could be expected, it may be highly <br />likely that the lesser- represented species would be eliminated by <br />excavation and stockpiling leaving only the most dominant species <br />to recolonize the area - -if any do at all. <br />5.2 Wildlife Aspects <br />Presented here is a review of the range of wildlife species <br />likely to inhabit peatlands and the likely implications of peat <br />0 49 <br />