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 soils are often seen in unproductive environments where
in the management of the global carbon cycle. Peatlands plant growth is very slow. Their capacity for storage is huge;
are associated with a range of waterlogged environments in with estimates suggesting that ~550 Gt of C is stored globally
which the decomposition of dead plant material and soil car- in peat soils (Sabine et al. 2004), and a worldwide average of
bon is extremely slow, resulting in the fossilisation of litter 1450 t C per ha (Parish et al. 2008). These areas are globally
inputs and soil with an organic carbon content of over 30%. widespread but cover a tiny proportion of land area making
Although some peat soils can be found in productive ecosys- peatland among the most space effective carbon stores of all
tems such as reed and papyrus swamps and mangroves, peat ecosystems.
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