Read about how peatlands efficiently can protect old soil carbon

Tanentzap and co-workers have this week demonstrated that peatlands can protect against downstream delivery and transformation of old soil carbon after permafrost thaw. The study aimed to test if thermokarst bog expansion in Canada and deepening of seasonally thawed soils due to wildfire can increase the contributions of dissolved carbon to downstream water. The authors conclude that in contrast to other more well-drained Arctic ecosystems undergoing climate warming, waterlogged peatlands can efficiently protect soil carbon after climate- and wildfire-induced permafrost thaw.

Thermokarst expansion in Northeast Greenland.