Search Results (247)

Peat soils play a key role in the global terrestrial carbon pool, water regulation, and ecosystem stability, making them central to environmental protection and climate resilience policies. This study offers a thorough bibliometric mapping and scientific overview for the development path and intellectual structure of peat soil research from 2015 to 2025. Using the Scopus database, 1558 records were systematically analyzed with VOSviewer and an R-package to reveal publication trends, country/region collaboration networks, keyword co-occurrence clusters, and citation structures. Peat research is increasingly focused on carbon storage, peatland degradation and restoration, greenhouse gas emissions, land-use change, and climate mitigation. High citation rates of 651 in Nature Climate Change show strong interdisciplinary integration of soil science, ecology, hydrology, and climate science. Major contributions come from regions with extensive peatlands, like Southeast Asia and Northern Europe, highlighting their global climate importance. However, there are still missing links remaining between scientific research and practical peatland management and restoration. Future research should focus on long-term field studies, socio-ecological peatland governance, and nature-based solutions to enhance climate resilience. This study serves as a reference for researchers, environmental managers, and policymakers promoting sustainable peat soil management amid global environmental change. Full article

Balancing wetland conservation with food security is a critical challenge for developing countries. This study compares land use change and its impacts on soil properties in two hydrologically distinct wetlands: the rain-fed Jinchuan Peatland in China and the flood-fed Kilombero Valley Floodplain (KVFP) in Tanzania. Using remote sensing data from 1990 to 2018 and soil physicochemical analysis, we found divergent reclamation trajectories. Wetland conversion has slowed in China but accelerated in Tanzania’s KVFP due to population pressure. Our results reveal a fundamental mechanism: rain-fed wetlands, lacking external nutrient replenishment, experience significantly greater soil degradation after conversion compared to flood-fed wetlands, which benefit from continued alluvial sediment inputs. Both sites showed post-conversion declines in soil moisture, total organic carbon (TOC), and total nitrogen (TN), alongside increased pH and bulk density. However, soil fertility loss was markedly more severe in Jinchuan than in KVFP. This disparity is attributed to the inability of rain-fed systems to replenish nutrients externally, whereas flood-fed KVFP benefits from continued alluvial sediment inputs. Our findings elucidate a key mechanism: flood-fed wetlands possess a natural resilience to agricultural disturbance through hydrological replenishment, making them potentially more suitable for sustainable utilization in food-insecure nations. Consequently, we propose that wetland management policies must be customized based on water source type and national development context, advocating for the targeted, science-based utilization of flood-fed wetlands as a strategic approach to reconcile food production with ecosystem preservation in regions like Tanzania. Full article

Microbial functional traits play a central role in regulating carbon mineralization efficiency (CME) in peatlands, yet how they respond to concurrent warming and atmospheric nitrogen deposition remains unclear. In this study, peat soils from three vegetation types (sedge, reed, and shrub) were subjected to controlled microcosm incubations simulating warming and nitrogen addition gradients. Microbial community composition and functional profiles were characterized using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and Functional Annotation of Prokaryotic Taxa (FAPROTAX) functional prediction, while dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition was analyzed via excitation–emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy with parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) and fluorescence indices. Integrating correlation analysis, Random Forest, and partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) modeling, we identified microbial functional traits as key factors linking environmental changes to soil CME, with DOM serving as a substrate-mediated pathway. External nitrogen input primarily drove shifts in microbial functional composition, whereas warming modulated substrate utilization preferences and DOM turnover. The interaction between warming and nitrogen selectively reshaped microbial functional profiles, thereby jointly determining CME. Functional traits explained more variation in CME than taxonomic composition, indicating a “structure–function decoupling” under environmental change. These findings highlight the central role of microbial functional traits in peatland carbon transformation and suggest that the net response of peatland carbon emissions to future environmental change will depend critically on the balance between warming magnitude and nitrogen deposition levels. Full article

Peatlands cover approximately 3% of the global land area but store about 44% of the world’s soil carbon, making them a major carbon sink. Indonesia alone accounts for about 37% of global tropical peat carbon stocks. However, large-scale carbon emissions caused by fires and drainage during past economic development have transformed peatlands from carbon sinks into carbon sources. In response, restoration efforts have been implemented at both international and national levels. Tropical peatland restoration typically includes rewetting, revegetation, and community-based approaches, highlighting the need for quantitative assessments of carbon storage under different restoration strategies. This study focuses on the Perigi peatland in South Sumatra, Indonesia. We conducted field surveys of vegetation and soils to estimate carbon stocks per unit area and developed time-series land cover maps using satellite imagery. Based on these data, we assessed potential carbon storage under different restoration intensity scenarios. The results show that carbon stocks in the Perigi peatland are lower than the Indonesian average. However, under a full restoration scenario, up to 950,259 tC of additional carbon storage is possible, indicating high restoration potential. In contrast, without restoration, further carbon emissions are likely, underscoring the necessity of restoration efforts. Effective restoration requires a phased strategy from vegetation recovery to peat layer recovery, combined with socioeconomic approaches that consider local livelihoods, enabling degraded tropical peatlands to function as effective carbon mitigation systems. Full article

Overwintering peat fires are increasingly reported in the boreal regions, where they persist underground through winter and reignite in spring, intensifying greenhouse gas emissions and landscape degradation. This study investigates the conditions that enable peat fires to survive freezing and snow cover, and presents practical methods for their winter detection and suppression. We combined satellite data, UAV-based thermal imaging, time-lapse photography, and ground measurements of temperature, groundwater depth, and peat moisture to identify active overwintering hotspots. Our results show that these fires persist primarily where groundwater levels remain below 60 cm, particularly under tree roots, compacted soil, or elevated terrain that limits moisture recharge. UAV thermal imaging proved the most reliable detection tool, identifying 98% of hotspots. We developed and successfully applied a winter extinguishing method that involves mechanical disruption and dispersion of smoldering peat over frozen ground, allowing rapid cooling without re-ignition. These findings clarify the mechanisms sustaining overwintering fires and provide an effective approach for their mitigation, contributing to reduced emissions and improved management of boreal peatlands vulnerable to climate change. Full article

European peatlands have been extensively drained for agriculture, resulting in substantial carbon losses and widespread soil degradation. Peatland restoration is therefore a global priority, with rewetting recognised as a key strategy for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. This review synthesizes current knowledge on soil transformations following the rewetting of agriculturally drained peatlands in Europe. We describe major degradation processes induced by drainage, including land subsidence, organic matter oxidation, and microbial community shifts from anaerobic to aerobic conditions. We then examine key rewetting approaches—ditch blocking, controlled flooding, and paludiculture—and their intended restoration outcomes. Rewetting fundamentally alters soil physical, chemical, and biological properties by raising and stabilizing water tables, restoring anoxic conditions, and modifying nutrient cycling and microbial processes. Findings indicate long-term stabilization of organic carbon in peat soils under anaerobic conditions, but also reveal trade-offs between reduced CO₂ emissions and increased CH₄ and N₂O fluxes. Vegetation–soil interactions strongly influence recovery trajectories, and paludiculture offers potential to align agricultural land use with climate mitigation objectives. Finally, we evaluate current research methodologies and identify major knowledge gaps, including limited long-term data and insufficient integration of hydrological, chemical, and biological processes. We highlight priorities for future research to support evidence-based rewetting strategies that deliver climate benefits while maintaining ecological and economic sustainability in European peatlands. Full article

Tropical peatlands are major carbon sinks that store a significant portion of the world’s soil carbon. Although approximately 37% of the world’s tropical peatlands are located in Indonesia, these ecosystems face continuous degradation from drainage and fires. Despite the urgent need for restoration, precise local-scale baseline data remain insufficient. This study identified the spatial distribution of peat depth and soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in Perigi, South Sumatra, an area currently lacking foundational information. We conducted field surveys at 73 sampling locations in Perigi to analyze peat depth and SOC content, developing predictive models using satellite-derived environmental variables. Based on these models, the study estimated spatial distributions and generated spatial uncertainty maps. The results indicate the potential existence of peatlands in areas not reflected in existing national maps, highlighting the necessity of detailed local-scale assessments. Furthermore, hydrological factors exerted a strong influence on both models, suggesting that the hydrological environment is a primary determinant of peatland formation in Perigi. These findings provide a scientific basis for understanding spatial characteristics and discussing future restoration and management strategies for vulnerable tropical peatland ecosystems. Full article

In achieving sustainable development goals, soils play a key role in environmental protection, natural resources, and food security. Peatlands are particularly important here, as they function at the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and store large amounts of organic matter. However, organic soils are highly susceptible to transformation and degradation; therefore, their degradation caused by, among others, drainage properties is a high risk to both the environment and agriculture—it disrupts the ecosystems, causes greenhouse gas emissions, and eutrophicates the hydrosphere. Soil degradation in drained peatlands is associated with the transformation of soil organic matter (SOM), which in organic soils is the dominant component of the solid phase of the soil. The aim of our study was to assess the properties and degree of organic matter transformation in drained temperate peatland soils, with particular emphasis on sequential fractionation of SOM and humic acid properties. Due to the fact that in Poland, as many as 90% of non-forest peat bogs have been drained, we compare the mursh horizons that formed after peat bog drainage with the peat horizons that constitute the parent rock (where anaerobiosis occurs and morphological changes in the soil material are absent due to peat bog drainage). Studies were conducted on 11 soil profiles located in central-eastern Poland. Basic physicochemical soil properties were determined: pH, bulk density, contents of ash, SOM, total carbon (TC), and total nitrogen (TN). Sequential carbon fractionation was used to qualitatively analyze organic matter, which allowed for the identification of labile fractions, lipid fractions, humic substances (fulvic and humic acids), and residual fractions. Humic acids (HAs) were extracted using the Schnitzer method and analyzed for their elemental composition and spectrometric parameters in the VIS range. It was demonstrated that SOM transformation in drained temperate peatland soils was correlated with comprehensive changes in the soil’s physical and chemical properties. Compared to peat horizons, topsoil horizons were characterized by higher ash content and density, lower SOM content, and a lower TC/TN ratio. Qualitative SOM transformation during aerobic SOM transformation after draining the studied peatlands consisted of an increase in the amount of labile fractions and humic substances and a decrease in the lipid and residual fractions. The research results have shown that the HAs properties depended on the depth. HAs from topsoil horizons, compared to peat horizons, were characterized by a lower “degree of maturity,” as reflected by the values of atomic ratios (H/C, O/C) and absorbance coefficients (A_4/6 and ΔlogK). It was found that the share of the distinguished SOM fractions and HAs properties were closely correlated with the physical and chemical properties of the soils. The study demonstrated the usefulness of the sequential carbon fractionation method for assessing the effects of dewatered peat transformation. The obtained results could contribute to the development of good practices ensuring high quality of organic matter and stability of ecosystems, as well as to the development of methods for limiting the mineralization of organic matter (SOM), greenhouse gas emissions, and the loss of organic soils in agricultural areas. Full article

Peatlands play a critical role in global and regional climate regulation by functioning as long-term carbon sinks, regulating hydrology, and modulating land–atmosphere energy exchange. Intact peat ecosystems store large amounts of organic carbon and stabilize local climate through high water retention and evapotranspiration, whereas peatland degradation disrupts these functions and can transform peatlands into significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions and climate extremes such as drought and fire. Indonesia contains approximately 13.6–40.5 Gt of carbon, around 40% of which is stored on the island of Sumatra. However, tropical peatlands in this region are highly vulnerable to climate anomalies and land-use change. This study investigates the impacts of major climate anomalies—specifically El Niño and positive Indian Ocean Dipole (pIOD) events in 1997/1998, 2015/2016, and 2019—on peatland cover change across South Sumatra, Jambi, Riau, and the Riau Islands. Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager/Thermal Infrared Sensor imagery were analyzed using a Random Forest machine learning classification approach. Climate anomaly periods were identified using El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and IOD indices from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. To enhance classification accuracy and detect vegetation and hydrological stress, spectral indices including the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (MSAVI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), and Normalized Difference Drought Index (NDDI) were integrated. The results show classification accuracies of 89–92%, with kappa values of 0.85–0.90. The 2015/2016 El Niño caused the most severe peatland degradation (>51%), followed by the 1997/1998 El Niño (23–38%), while impacts from the 2019 pIOD were comparatively limited. These findings emphasize the importance of peatlands in climate regulation and highlight the need for climate-informed monitoring and management strategies to mitigate peatland degradation and associated climate risks. Full article

Peatlands provide essential ecological services but are highly vulnerable to degradation from drainage, leading to greenhouse gas emissions, land subsidence, and increased fire susceptibility. This study investigates peat hydrology and its relationship to fire risk in a fire-prone area in South Sumatra, Indonesia. Groundwater levels and soil moisture were continuously monitored using automated loggers, and recession analysis quantified their rates of decline. Multispectral drone imagery (NDVI, NDWI) over a 44.1-ha area assessed vegetation and surface wetness, while fire occurrences (2019–2024) were analyzed using the Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS). During a 58-day dry period, groundwater depth reached 78.5 cm with a recession rate of 9.68 mm day⁻¹, while soil moisture decreased by 0.00291 m³ m⁻³ per day over 27 consecutive dry days. Drone imagery revealed that unhealthy and dead grass covered nearly 90% of the site, although wetness remained moderate (NDWI = 0.02–0.58). FIRMS data indicated that rainfall below 2000 mm year⁻¹ and prolonged dry spells (>30 days) strongly trigger peat fires. These findings correspond with early-warning model outputs based on soil moisture recession and ignition thresholds. Maintaining a high groundwater level is, therefore, crucial for reducing peat fire vulnerability under extended dry conditions. Full article

Winter processes are increasingly recognised as important components of ecosystem carbon cycling, yet ¹³C-CO₂ fluxes from temperate forests and peatlands remain poorly quantified. This study quantified cold-season ¹³C-CO₂ fluxes in a Scots pine forest and a temperate fen in western Poland using manual closed chambers coupled with a Picarro G2201-i isotope analyser. Measurements were conducted during the cold half of the year and related to soil temperature, air temperature and, at the forest site, soil moisture. Median ¹³C-CO₂ fluxes were about twice as high in the forest (607 µg·m⁻²·h⁻¹) as in the fen (290 µg·m⁻²·h⁻¹), indicating stronger winter respiratory activity in the mineral soil than in the water-saturated peat. In the forest, ¹³C-CO₂ fluxes showed a weak, non-significant tendency to increase with temperature, whereas in the fen they were significantly negatively correlated with soil temperature and tended to peak near 0 °C, pointing to an important role of zero-curtain and freeze–thaw conditions. These plot-scale measurements provide rare constraints on winter ¹³C-CO₂ losses from temperate forest–peatland mosaics and highlight the need to represent cold-season isotopic fluxes in carbon–climate assessments. From a biogeochemical perspective, the findings emphasize that ¹³C losses during the cold season can occur as transient, high-intensity ‘hot moments’. Such episodic fluxes should therefore be explicitly incorporated into winter carbon accounting and isotopically enabled carbon–climate feedback assessments to improve the fidelity of annual net ecosystem exchange projections. Full article

Peatlands store approximately 30% of global terrestrial carbon, and tropical peatlands contribute 10%–30% of the total peatland carbon storage. Indonesia holds approximately 15% of this resource. Given the rapid degradation of these ecosystems, the Indonesian government has promoted revegetation, identifying Calophyllum inophyllum L. (Tamanu) as a promising restoration species. However, long-term studies on Tamanu performance and optimal environmental conditions in actual peatland settings are lacking. This study aimed to identify the environmental characteristics conducive to Tamanu growth. We planted Tamanu at Perigi in South Sumatra and Buntoi in Central Kalimantan and monitored its growth over a five-year period. We assessed the soil properties and hydrological conditions at both sites. Results revealed that Tamanu trees at the Perigi site, with higher soil nutrient levels, initially exhibited greater root collar diameter, height, and stem volume compared to those at Buntoi. However, prolonged flooding in Perigi caused complete mortality at 60 months. In contrast, despite lower soil nutrient levels, the Buntoi site maintained a survival rate of 52% because of the more stable water levels. These findings suggest that hydrological management is more critical than soil nutrient conditions for the long-term survival of Tamanu in tropical peatlands, informing effective peatland restoration strategies. Full article

Peatlands, as globally important carbon sinks, are highly sensitive to human disturbances. The direct discharge or use of domestic sewage with different treatment gradients as peatland replenishment water affects plant communities, but how the plant community structure and biomass change and what drives these changes remain unclear. This study simulated domestic sewage input to a sedge-dominated peatland in the Changbai Mountain region of Northeast China, explored changes in plant community structure and aboveground biomass and revealed the key factors influencing these plant characteristics. The results revealed the following: (1) Reclaimed water treatment (Z) had little effect on the plant community structure; treatments with 50% tap water and 50% domestic sewage (H) and domestic sewage (W) caused rapid expansion of Poaceae plants, with Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv. occupying dominance. (2) Domestic sewage input increases plant diversity, which is driven jointly by soil nutrients and aboveground plant nutrients. (3) The H and W treatments significantly altered aboveground biomass, which was positively correlated with soil nutrients, aboveground plant nutrients, and diversity, whereas the Z treatment had little effect. This research provides scientific support for the control of domestic sewage discharge and whether reclaimed water can be used for ecological water replenishment in peatlands. It holds significant practical value for the scientific management of peatlands, the maintenance of carbon sink functions, and the mitigation of climate change. Full article

Distinct paradigms, such as the “enzymic latch” and “iron gate” theories, have been proposed to elucidate SOC loss or accumulation, but their relative significance and whether they are mutually exclusive in permafrost peatlands remain unclear. To address this, we evaluated their relative importance and identified the dominant factors controlling SOC stability. Therefore, we employed a space-for-time substitution approach across a permafrost gradient (continuous, discontinuous, and isolated) by systematically quantifying extracellular enzyme activities, iron (Fe) phases, and iron-bound soil organic carbon (Fe-SOC) at various depths (0–10, 10–30, and 30–50 cm) in peatlands. Our results did not support the “enzymic latch” theory, with hydrolytic enzyme activities (β-glucosidase (BG), cellobiohydrolase (CBH), and β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG)) showing positive correlations with phenolics but negative correlations with phenol oxidase (PHO) activity. However, ferrous iron (Fe(II)) was significantly positively correlated with PHO activity, and ferric iron (Fe(III)) stabilized SOC through co-precipitation with it to form Fe-SOC, supporting the “iron gate” theory. Moreover, Fe-SOC decreased from the continuous to the isolated permafrost zone, and with soil depth from 0–10 cm to 30–50 cm. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) analysis indicated that Fe(III) directly and indirectly (via Fe-SOC and phenolics) affected SOC. Our study demonstrated the primacy of the “iron gate” mechanism in controlling carbon stability in the Great Hing’an Mountains permafrost peatlands, providing new insights for projecting carbon-climate feedback. Full article

Research on the remediation of hydrocarbon contaminated peatlands is limited; in particular, hydrocarbon effects on seed germination is critical for effective reclamation. This study examined germination responses of six wetland plant species under greenhouse and laboratory conditions. Seeds were exposed to hydrocarbon-contaminated peat soil and ground water under two light treatments (light, total darkness) for four weeks. Species specific responses in seed germination and germination velocity occurred under different light conditions and exposure to hydrocarbon-contaminated peat soil and water. Light significantly impacted germination, while hydrocarbon-contaminated peat soil and water had no effect. Glyceria grandis (83.5%) and Scirpus microcarpus (74%) had significantly higher germination rates even in contaminated treatments than Carex aquatilis (28%) and Typha latifolia (38%), which had modest germination. Modified Timson’s Index (germination velocity) was significantly greater in Scirpus microcarpus (21.90) and Glyceria grandis (19.20) than in other species after 30 days. Carex utriculata and Scirpus validus had ≤0.5% germination and ≤0.2 velocity. The overall species mean germination time was >9 days with a low (≤0.7) germination index. Ordination using several germination variables separated some species. These findings suggest Scirpus microcarpus and Glyceria grandis have high tolerance to hydrocarbon contamination and may be effective candidates for the phytoremediation and restoration of contaminated peatlands. Full article