The Natural Fix?

PEATLANDS

Peatland soils store a large amount of carbon but there is a grave risk that much of this will be lost as peatland ecosystems worldwide are being converted for agriculture, planta- tions and bioenergy. Conservation and restoration of tropical peatlands should be consid- ered a global priority.

While not a true biome, peatlands represent a special case in the management of the global carbon cycle. Peatlands are associated with a range of waterlogged environments in which the decomposition of dead plant material and soil car- bon is extremely slow, resulting in the fossilisation of litter inputs and soil with an organic carbon content of over 30%. Although some peat soils can be found in productive ecosys- tems such as reed and papyrus swamps and mangroves, peat

soils are often seen in unproductive environments where plant growth is very slow. Their capacity for storage is huge; with estimates suggesting that ~550 Gt of C is stored globally in peat soils (Sabine et al. 2004), and a worldwide average of 1450 t C per ha (Parish et al. 2008). These areas are globally widespread but cover a tiny proportion of land area making peatland among the most space effective carbon stores of all ecosystems.

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