What is the science behind Peat Bog restoration as a CO2 capture mechanism? How is effectiveness of actual projects typically measured?/GHG Flux Science

This page is part of the research tree for [[../|Peat Bog restoration as a CO₂ capture mechanism]]. See the [[../Research Plan|Research Plan]] for the full research approach.

Planned Content

This page will cover the fundamental biogeochemistry of peatlands — what happens to carbon when a peatland is drained, and what happens when it is restored:

• Net ecosystem exchange (NEE) in intact, degraded, and restored peatlands
• How quickly drained peatlands emit CO₂ and for how long
• The methane (CH₄) penalty from re-wetting — how it compares in CO₂-equivalent terms to avoided CO₂ emissions
• Timescale of net GHG sink recovery after restoration
• Whether restored peatlands can return to intact peatland carbon accumulation rates

Key sources to consult: Evans et al. (UKCEH), Wilson et al. meta-analyses, IPCC 2013/2014 Wetlands Supplement, Günther et al. (Nature Communications, 2020), Evans et al. (Nature, 2021), Tanneberger et al. (Advanced Sustainable Systems, 2021).

See Also

• [[../Research Plan|Research Plan]]
• Günther et al. 2020 — Methane trade-off study
• Evans et al. 2021 — Water table control of GHG emissions