If we talk about the Peatlands, which includes fems, bogs, marshes, and swamps, they mainly cover about 3 percent of the Earth’s total land surface. This also gets over one-third of the planet’s soil carbon. That is more than the amount of carbon which is stored in all other vegetables which are combined, including the world’s forests. Peatlands worldwide are running short of water, and the number of greenhouse gases could set the loose, and it would be devastating for the efforts to curb climate changes.
Significantly, according to the research, it was found that Peatlands worldwide are drying out, and it is also threatening to release around 860 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. According to the research and studies in the Nature Climate Change, it was quoted that drying peatlands could release about an additional 860 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere almost every year by around 2100.
To put this into perspective, Australia has emitted approximately 539 million tonnes in the year 2019. To stop the threatening impact from happening, we will have to preserve and restore the healthy, waterlogged conditions in peatlands urgently. Mainly these thirsty peatlands require water.
Important things to know about Peatlands:
There is no hidden fact that peatlands worldwide are drying out, and as per the researchers, it was quoted that this can threaten the world to release more or a million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.
- Peatlands are more like natural archives
As we all know that peatlands are found across the world, including the Arctic tundra, coastal marshes, tropical swamp forest, mountain fens, and the blanket bogs on the subantarctic island. Peatlands are characterised by waterlogged soil, filled with very slowly decaying plant material and accumulated over thousands of years preserved in the low oxygen environment. This ensures partially decomposed plant debris which is locked up in the skils as the organic carbon.
Peatlands can act as the natural archives and let the researchers and archaeologists reconstruct the past climate, vegetation, and even live soft humans. An estimated 20,500 archaeological sites are preserved under the leat in the United Kingdom.
As per the unique habitats, peatlands are home to several native and are endangered species of the plants and animals that occur nowhere else like as white-bellied includes in Peru and Australia giant dragonfly. Wetlands also act as the migration corridor for birds and other animals. This also ensures water purifies, regulates floods and leaks, retains the sediment, and many more.
- Giant dragonfly on a branch
If we talk about the giant dragonfly, it was then listed as endangered under the NSW law of the environment. For the past several decades, humans have been draining the global peatlands for a wide range of uses, and this also includes planting trees and crops and harvesting the least to bring the heat and for the development of another land.
Most of the peatlands mainly rely on groundwater, which includes a portion of the greater everglades and some portion of the most significant freshwater March in the United States. The regional drier climate due to global warming has made the peatlands dry out.
What happens when peatlands dry out?
When the peat is not covered by water, then it could be exposed to enough oxygen to fuel aerobic microbes which are living within. The oxygen enables the microbes to heal fats and to enjoy the feast of carbon-rich foods and also allows the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Moats of the peatlands are the natural source of methane. Peatlands use a potent greenhouse gas that holds the warming potential for around100 times more than that carbon dioxide.
Mainly by generating methane requires the opposite condition to generate carbon dioxide, and these methanes are released in the water-saturated states more frequently. The carbon dioxide emissions are in unsaturated conditions.
Final verdict
Though it is not too late to stop this from happening, we need to protect our wetlands for a better environment and to reduce the risk factors as well. Many countries are already establishing wetlands restoration projects for the better version of the world. We need to stop the risk factor of threats related to the world and to lead a successful life as well.
The life pleat restored aims to restore about 5300 hectares of the peatlands to their natural function as the carbon sinks across Poland, Germany, and the Baltic states for about five years. Protecting our peatlands should be the primary goal to preserve the world because it is a global issue. We need to work together urgently and efficiently to take care of the peatlands and climate.
