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Latitudinal limits to the predicted increase of the peatland carbon sink with warming

Author

Listed:
  • Angela V. Gallego-Sala

    (University of Exeter)

  • Dan J. Charman

    (University of Exeter)

  • Simon Brewer

    (University of Utah)

  • Susan E. Page

    (University of Leicester)

  • I. Colin Prentice

    (Imperial College London)

  • Pierre Friedlingstein

    (University of Exeter)

  • Steve Moreton

    (NERC Radiocarbon Facility)

  • Matthew J. Amesbury

    (University of Exeter)

  • David W. Beilman

    (University of Hawaii at Manoa)

  • Svante Björck

    (Lund University)

  • Tatiana Blyakharchuk

    (Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Science (IMCES SB RAS))

  • Christopher Bochicchio

    (Lehigh University)

  • Robert K. Booth

    (Lehigh University)

  • Joan Bunbury

    (University of Wisconsin-La Crosse)

  • Philip Camill

    (Bowdoin College)

  • Donna Carless

    (University of Exeter)

  • Rodney A. Chimner

    (Michigan Technical University)

  • Michael Clifford

    (Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, DRI)

  • Elizabeth Cressey

    (University of Exeter)

  • Colin Courtney-Mustaphi

    (University of York
    Uppsala Universitet)

  • François Vleeschouwer

    (Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS)

  • Rixt Jong

    (Lund University)

  • Barbara Fialkiewicz-Koziel

    (Adam Mickiewicz University)

  • Sarah A. Finkelstein

    (University of Toronto)

  • Michelle Garneau

    (Université du Québec à Montréal)

  • Esther Githumbi

    (University of York)

  • John Hribjlan

    (Michigan Technical University)

  • James Holmquist

    (University of California, Los Angeles)

  • Paul D. M. Hughes

    (University of Southampton)

  • Chris Jones

    (MET Office, Hadley Centre)

  • Miriam C. Jones

    (USGS, Reston)

  • Edgar Karofeld

    (University of Tartu)

  • Eric S. Klein

    (University of Alaska, Anchorage)

  • Ulla Kokfelt

    (Lund University)

  • Atte Korhola

    (University of Helsinki)

  • Terri Lacourse

    (University of Victoria)

  • Gael Roux

    (Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS)

  • Mariusz Lamentowicz

    (Adam Mickiewicz University
    Adam Mickiewicz University)

  • David Large

    (University of Nottingham)

  • Martin Lavoie

    (Université Laval)

  • Julie Loisel

    (Texas A&M University)

  • Helen Mackay

    (Newcastle University)

  • Glen M. MacDonald

    (University of California, Los Angeles)

  • Markku Makila

    (Geological Survey of Finland)

  • Gabriel Magnan

    (Université du Québec à Montréal)

  • Robert Marchant

    (University of York)

  • Katarzyna Marcisz

    (Adam Mickiewicz University
    Adam Mickiewicz University
    University of Bern)

  • Antonio Martínez Cortizas

    (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela)

  • Charly Massa

    (University of Hawaii at Manoa)

  • Paul Mathijssen

    (University of Helsinki)

  • Dmitri Mauquoy

    (University of Aberdeen)

  • Timothy Mighall

    (University of Aberdeen)

  • Fraser J. G. Mitchell

    (Trinity College Dublin)

  • Patrick Moss

    (The University of Queensland)

  • Jonathan Nichols

    (Columbia University)

  • Pirita O. Oksanen

    (University of Lapland)

  • Lisa Orme

    (University of Exeter
    Norwegian Polar Institute)

  • Maara S. Packalen

    (Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry)

  • Stephen Robinson

    (Champlain College)

  • Thomas P. Roland

    (University of Exeter)

  • Nicole K. Sanderson

    (University of Exeter)

  • A. Britta K. Sannel

    (Stockholm University)

  • Noemí Silva-Sánchez

    (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela)

  • Natascha Steinberg

    (University of Exeter)

  • Graeme T. Swindles

    (University of Leeds)

  • T. Edward Turner

    (University of Leeds
    Galloway Forest District)

  • Joanna Uglow

    (University of Exeter)

  • Minna Väliranta

    (University of Helsinki)

  • Simon Bellen

    (Université du Québec à Montréal)

  • Marjolein Linden

    (BIAX Consult)

  • Bas Geel

    (Universiteit van Amsterdam)

  • Guoping Wang

    (Chinese Academy of Science)

  • Zicheng Yu

    (Lehigh University
    Northeast Normal University)

  • Joana Zaragoza-Castells

    (University of Exeter)

  • Yan Zhao

    (Chinese Academy of Science)

Abstract

The carbon sink potential of peatlands depends on the balance of carbon uptake by plants and microbial decomposition. The rates of both these processes will increase with warming but it remains unclear which will dominate the global peatland response. Here we examine the global relationship between peatland carbon accumulation rates during the last millennium and planetary-scale climate space. A positive relationship is found between carbon accumulation and cumulative photosynthetically active radiation during the growing season for mid- to high-latitude peatlands in both hemispheres. However, this relationship reverses at lower latitudes, suggesting that carbon accumulation is lower under the warmest climate regimes. Projections under Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP)2.6 and RCP8.5 scenarios indicate that the present-day global sink will increase slightly until around ad 2100 but decline thereafter. Peatlands will remain a carbon sink in the future, but their response to warming switches from a negative to a positive climate feedback (decreased carbon sink with warming) at the end of the twenty-first century.

Suggested Citation

  • Angela V. Gallego-Sala & Dan J. Charman & Simon Brewer & Susan E. Page & I. Colin Prentice & Pierre Friedlingstein & Steve Moreton & Matthew J. Amesbury & David W. Beilman & Svante Björck & Tatiana Bl, 2018. "Latitudinal limits to the predicted increase of the peatland carbon sink with warming," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(10), pages 907-913, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:8:y:2018:i:10:d:10.1038_s41558-018-0271-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-018-0271-1
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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. Alastair J. Crawford & Claire M. Belcher & Stacey New & Angela Gallego-Sala & Graeme T. Swindles & Susan Page & Tatiana A. Blyakharchuk & Hinsby Cadillo-Quiroz & Dan J. Charman & Mariusz Gałka & Paul , 2024. "Tropical peat composition may provide a negative feedback on fire occurrence and severity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Hui Zhang & Minna Väliranta & Graeme T. Swindles & Marco A. Aquino-López & Donal Mullan & Ning Tan & Matthew Amesbury & Kirill V. Babeshko & Kunshan Bao & Anatoly Bobrov & Viktor Chernyshov & Marissa , 2022. "Recent climate change has driven divergent hydrological shifts in high-latitude peatlands," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.

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