Peatlands are some of the most important carbon stores in the world. They contain nearly 30% of all carbon on the land, while only covering 3% of the land area. Peatland ecosystems contain disproportionately more organic carbon than other terrestrial ecosystems.

Peatlands are the top long-term carbon store in the terrestrial biosphere and - next to oceanic deposits - Earth's second most important store. Peatlands have accumulated and stored this carbon over thousands of years, and since the last Ice Age peatlands have played an important role in global greenhouse gas balances by sequestering an enormous amount of atmospheric CO 2. 

Peatlands in many regions are still actively sequestering carbon. However the delicate balance between production and decay easily causes peatlands to become carbon sources following human interventions. Anthropogenic disturbances (especially drainage and fires) have led to massive carbon losses from peatland stores and generated a significant contribution to global anthropogenic C02 emissions. Peatland restoration is an effective way to maintain the carbon storage of peatlands and to re-initiate carbon sequestration. 

• 	Peatlands store an enormous amount of carbon
  	Stored carbon is quickly lost during peat fires

  While covering only 3% of the World's land area, peatlands contain at least 550 Gt of carbon in their peat. This is equivalent to 30% of all global soil carbon, 75% of all atmospheric C, equal to all terrestrial biomass, and twice the carbon stock in the forest biomass of the world. This makes peatlands the top long-term carbon store in the terrestrial biosphere.

• Peatlands are the most efficient carbon (C) store of all terrestrial ecosystems. Peatlands contain more carbon per ha than other ecosystems on mineral soil: in the (sub)polar zone, 3.5 times, in the boreal zone 7 times, in the tropical zone 10 times as much.

• Peatlands store carbon in different parts of their ecosystem (biomass, litter, peat layer, mineral subsoil layer), each with their own dynamics and turn-over.

• The peat layer is a long-term store of carbon, Peatlands have accumulated and stored this carbon over thousands of years. Permanent waterlogging and consequent restricted aerobic decay is the main prerequisite for continued long-term storage of carbon in peatlands.

• Most coal and lignite and part of the 'mineral' oil and natural gas reserves originated from peat deposits in previous geological periods.

• Peat growth depends on a delicate balance between production and decay. Natural peatlands may shift between carbon sink and source on a seasonal and between-year time scale, but the accumulation of peat demonstrates that their long-term natural balance is positive.

• Human interventions can easily disturb the natural balance of production and decay turning peatlands into carbon emitters. Drainage for agriculture, forestry and other purposes increases aerobic decay and changes peatlands from being a sink of carbon to a source. Peat extraction (for fuel, horticulture, fertilizers, etc.) transfers carbon to the atmosphere even more quickly.

• Peatland drainage also facilitates peat fires, which are one of the largest sources of carbon released to the atmosphere associated with land management.

• Fluxes of dissolved (DOC) and particulate (POC) organic carbon constitute important carbon losses from peatlands that may substantially increase as a result of human impact and climate change.

• Carbon dioxide emissions from peatland drainage, fires and exploitation are estimated to currently be at least 3000 million tonnes a year equivalent to more than 10% of the global fossil fuel emISSIons.

• Peatland conservation and restoration are effective ways to maintain the peatland carbon store and to maximise carbon sequestration with additional benefits for biodiversity, environment and people.
  
  

  A large part of our coals originated from the peatlands of previous geological epochs (Source: www.uky.edu/KGS/coal/coalform.htm)

  Peatlands have the highest carbon density among the terrestrial biomes

Carbon slowly accumulated in peatlands can be quickly removed by human activities

 

Drying of peat blocks, Argentina

Peat extraction, Sweden

The peat on the surface of this peat mine is 3700 yrs old