peatland

Peatland is a type of wetland characterized by the accumulation of peat, a soil formed from partially decayed vegetation. Inundated or waterlogged conditions create anoxic environments that slow decomposition, allowing organic matter to accumulate over centuries or millennia. Peatlands cover a small fraction of the land surface but store a large share of the planet’s soil carbon.

There are several main categories. Ombrotrophic bogs receive most nutrients from precipitation and tend to be low-nutrient, acidic, dominated by Sphagnum mosses and ericaceous shrubs. Minerotrophic fens are fed by groundwater or surface water, generally less acidic and richer in minerals. Tropical peatlands, including peat swamp forests, occur in Southeast Asia, the Amazon, and Africa, and are often forested. High-elevation or boreal peatlands also exist.

Peatlands perform important ecological and hydrological functions. They regulate water flow, support specialized plant and animal communities, and provide climate-related benefits through carbon storage. Globally, peatlands store a substantial portion of soil carbon and emit methane under certain hydrological conditions, especially when water tables fall or drying occurs.

Threats include drainage for agriculture or forestry, peat extraction, mining, and fires, as well as climate change. Conservation priorities include protecting existing peatlands, preventing drainage, and restoration through rewetting, reestablishing vegetation such as Sphagnum, and careful management.