Questioning ten common assumptions about peatlands
Peatlands have been widely studied in terms of their ecohydrology, carbon dynamics, ecosystem services and palaeoenvironmental archives. However, several assumptions are frequently made about peatlands in the academic literature, practitioner reports and the popular media which are either ambiguous...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
International Mire Conservation Group and International Peatland Society
2017-07-01
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| Series: | Mires and Peat |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://mires-and-peat.net/media/map19/map_19_12.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797718701968982016 |
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| author | University of Leeds Peat Club: K.L. Bacon A.J. Baird A. Blundell M-A. Bourgault P.J. Chapman G. Dargie G.P. Dooling C. Gee J. Holden T. Kelly K.A. McKendrick-Smith P.J. Morris A. Noble S.M. Palmer A. Quillet G.T. Swindles E.J. Watson D.M. Young |
| author_facet | University of Leeds Peat Club: K.L. Bacon A.J. Baird A. Blundell M-A. Bourgault P.J. Chapman G. Dargie G.P. Dooling C. Gee J. Holden T. Kelly K.A. McKendrick-Smith P.J. Morris A. Noble S.M. Palmer A. Quillet G.T. Swindles E.J. Watson D.M. Young |
| author_sort | University of Leeds Peat Club: |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Peatlands have been widely studied in terms of their ecohydrology, carbon dynamics, ecosystem services and palaeoenvironmental archives. However, several assumptions are frequently made about peatlands in the academic literature, practitioner reports and the popular media which are either ambiguous or in some cases incorrect. Here we discuss the following ten common assumptions about peatlands:
1. the northern peatland carbon store will shrink under a warming climate;
2. peatlands are fragile ecosystems;
3. wet peatlands have greater rates of net carbon accumulation;
4. different rules apply to tropical peatlands;
5. peat is a single soil type;
6. peatlands behave like sponges;
7. Sphagnum is the main ‘ecosystem engineer’ in peatlands;
8. a single core provides a representative palaeo-archive from a peatland;
9. water-table reconstructions from peatlands provide direct records of past climate change; and
10. restoration of peatlands results in the re-establishment of their carbon sink function.
In each case we consider the evidence supporting the assumption and, where appropriate, identify its shortcomings or ways in which it may be misleading. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T08:54:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c860143b913b4da599b9056532af5f34 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1819-754X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T08:54:13Z |
| publishDate | 2017-07-01 |
| publisher | International Mire Conservation Group and International Peatland Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Mires and Peat |
| spelling | doaj.art-c860143b913b4da599b9056532af5f342023-09-02T16:11:44ZengInternational Mire Conservation Group and International Peatland SocietyMires and Peat1819-754X2017-07-01191212310.19189/MaP.2016.OMB.253Questioning ten common assumptions about peatlandsUniversity of Leeds Peat Club:0K.L. Bacon1A.J. Baird2A. Blundell3M-A. Bourgault4P.J. Chapman5G. Dargie6G.P. Dooling7C. Gee8J. Holden9T. Kelly10K.A. McKendrick-Smith11P.J. Morris12A. Noble13S.M. Palmer14A. Quillet15G.T. Swindles16E.J. Watson17D.M. Young18water@leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UKwater@leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UKwater@leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UKwater@leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UKCentre GEOTOP, CP 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec, Canadawater@leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UKwater@leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UKGeography, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, UKwater@leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UKwater@leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UKwater@leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UKwater@leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UKwater@leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UKwater@leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UKwater@leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UKGeography, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, UKwater@leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UKwater@leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UKwater@leeds, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UKPeatlands have been widely studied in terms of their ecohydrology, carbon dynamics, ecosystem services and palaeoenvironmental archives. However, several assumptions are frequently made about peatlands in the academic literature, practitioner reports and the popular media which are either ambiguous or in some cases incorrect. Here we discuss the following ten common assumptions about peatlands: 1. the northern peatland carbon store will shrink under a warming climate; 2. peatlands are fragile ecosystems; 3. wet peatlands have greater rates of net carbon accumulation; 4. different rules apply to tropical peatlands; 5. peat is a single soil type; 6. peatlands behave like sponges; 7. Sphagnum is the main ‘ecosystem engineer’ in peatlands; 8. a single core provides a representative palaeo-archive from a peatland; 9. water-table reconstructions from peatlands provide direct records of past climate change; and 10. restoration of peatlands results in the re-establishment of their carbon sink function. In each case we consider the evidence supporting the assumption and, where appropriate, identify its shortcomings or ways in which it may be misleading.http://mires-and-peat.net/media/map19/map_19_12.pdfcarbonclimateecosystemhydrologypeatland |
| spellingShingle | University of Leeds Peat Club: K.L. Bacon A.J. Baird A. Blundell M-A. Bourgault P.J. Chapman G. Dargie G.P. Dooling C. Gee J. Holden T. Kelly K.A. McKendrick-Smith P.J. Morris A. Noble S.M. Palmer A. Quillet G.T. Swindles E.J. Watson D.M. Young Questioning ten common assumptions about peatlands Mires and Peat carbon climate ecosystem hydrology peatland |
| title | Questioning ten common assumptions about peatlands |
| title_full | Questioning ten common assumptions about peatlands |
| title_fullStr | Questioning ten common assumptions about peatlands |
| title_full_unstemmed | Questioning ten common assumptions about peatlands |
| title_short | Questioning ten common assumptions about peatlands |
| title_sort | questioning ten common assumptions about peatlands |
| topic | carbon climate ecosystem hydrology peatland |
| url | http://mires-and-peat.net/media/map19/map_19_12.pdf |
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