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Woody litter protects peat carbon stocks during drought

Author

Listed:
  • Nathalie Fenner

    (Bangor University)

  • Chris Freeman

    (Bangor University)

Abstract

Northern peatlands store ~30% of the world’s soil carbon. This carbon sequestration is due to slow decomposition, as illustrated by ancient wooden artefacts and ‘bog bodies’ preserved over millennia. Such artefacts suggest that carbon could be captured externally and stored long term in peat. However, whether such carbon would remain stable following lowered water tables is not known. Here, we show that adding woody litter results in preservation of the exogenous carbon, as well as protection of soil carbon within the host ecosystem from severe drought, as a result of leached polyphenolics. These compounds not only inhibit microbial extracellular and intracellular metabolism but also deprive microbial growth of iron and substrates such as carbon and nitrogen. Our results suggest that this technique harnesses natural ecosystem resilience mechanisms and may have implications for new carbon-farming approaches.

Suggested Citation

  • Nathalie Fenner & Chris Freeman, 2020. "Woody litter protects peat carbon stocks during drought," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 10(4), pages 363-369, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:10:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1038_s41558-020-0727-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-020-0727-y
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    Cited by:

    1. Nicholas O. E. Ofiti & Michael W. I. Schmidt & Samuel Abiven & Paul J. Hanson & Colleen M. Iversen & Rachel M. Wilson & Joel E. Kostka & Guido L. B. Wiesenberg & Avni Malhotra, 2023. "Climate warming and elevated CO2 alter peatland soil carbon sources and stability," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Salvatore La Bella & Giuseppe Virga & Nicolò Iacuzzi & Mario Licata & Leo Sabatino & Beppe Benedetto Consentino & Claudio Leto & Teresa Tuttolomondo, 2020. "Effects of Irrigation, Peat-Alternative Substrate and Plant Habitus on the Morphological and Production Characteristics of Sicilian Rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis L.) Biotypes Grown in Pot," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, December.

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