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Tropical peatland carbon storage linked to global latitudinal trends in peat recalcitrance

Author

Listed:
  • Suzanne B. Hodgkins

    (Florida State University
    The Ohio State University)

  • Curtis J. Richardson

    (Nicholas School of the Environment)

  • René Dommain

    (University of Potsdam
    National Museum of Natural History)

  • Hongjun Wang

    (Nicholas School of the Environment)

  • Paul H. Glaser

    (University of Minnesota)

  • Brittany Verbeke

    (Florida State University)

  • B. Rose Winkler

    (Florida State University)

  • Alexander R. Cobb

    (Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology)

  • Virginia I. Rich

    (The Ohio State University)

  • Malak Missilmani

    (Lebanese University)

  • Neal Flanagan

    (Nicholas School of the Environment)

  • Mengchi Ho

    (Nicholas School of the Environment)

  • Alison M. Hoyt

    (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry)

  • Charles F. Harvey

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • S. Rose Vining

    (University of Arizona)

  • Moira A. Hough

    (University of Arizona)

  • Tim R. Moore

    (McGill University)

  • Pierre J. H. Richard

    (Université de Montréal)

  • Florentino B. Cruz

    (North Carolina State University)

  • Joumana Toufaily

    (Lebanese University)

  • Rasha Hamdan

    (Lebanese University)

  • William T. Cooper

    (Florida State University)

  • Jeffrey P. Chanton

    (Florida State University)

Abstract

Peatlands represent large terrestrial carbon banks. Given that most peat accumulates in boreal regions, where low temperatures and water saturation preserve organic matter, the existence of peat in (sub)tropical regions remains enigmatic. Here we examined peat and plant chemistry across a latitudinal transect from the Arctic to the tropics. Near-surface low-latitude peat has lower carbohydrate and greater aromatic content than near-surface high-latitude peat, creating a reduced oxidation state and resulting recalcitrance. This recalcitrance allows peat to persist in the (sub)tropics despite warm temperatures. Because we observed similar declines in carbohydrate content with depth in high-latitude peat, our data explain recent field-scale deep peat warming experiments in which catotelm (deeper) peat remained stable despite temperature increases up to 9 °C. We suggest that high-latitude deep peat reservoirs may be stabilized in the face of climate change by their ultimately lower carbohydrate and higher aromatic composition, similar to tropical peats.

Suggested Citation

  • Suzanne B. Hodgkins & Curtis J. Richardson & René Dommain & Hongjun Wang & Paul H. Glaser & Brittany Verbeke & B. Rose Winkler & Alexander R. Cobb & Virginia I. Rich & Malak Missilmani & Neal Flanagan, 2018. "Tropical peatland carbon storage linked to global latitudinal trends in peat recalcitrance," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-13, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-06050-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06050-2
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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. Alexandra B Cory & Jeffrey P Chanton & Robert G M Spencer & Olivia C Ogles & Virginia I Rich & Carmody K McCalley & IsoGenie Project Coordinators & EMERGE 2021 Field Team & Rachel M Wilson, 2022. "Quantifying the inhibitory impact of soluble phenolics on anaerobic carbon mineralization in a thawing permafrost peatland," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(2), pages 1-19, February.
    3. Nur Azima Busman & Nagamitsu Maie & Che Fauziah Ishak & Muhammad Firdaus Sulaiman & Lulie Melling, 2021. "Effect of compaction on soil CO2 and CH4 fluxes from tropical peatland in Sarawak, Malaysia," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(8), pages 11646-11659, August.
    4. 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.

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