Summary/Abstract
Peatlands are terrestrial wetlands, typically located at high latitudes, which accumulate undecayed organic matter and serve as a vital carbon sink. Peatlands are the most carbon-dense ecosystem on Earth, storing one-third of the global soil carbon stock in 3% of the land area. However, organic material stored in peatlands can serve as fuel for wildfires, resulting in “leakage” of carbon dioxide from these ecosystems as peat is combusted. Over the past several decades, humans have increasingly drained peatlands for agriculture, fuel, and development, which has accelerated wildfire risk. The increased rate and severity of peat burns both increases the rate of release of sequestered carbon and weakens the ability of peatlands to recover from fire events. This study uses datasets from natural, restored, and damaged peatland emissions to investigate the effects of wildfire and human-induced damage on peatland carbon sinks. Overall, increased burn rate and severity will reduce peatland carbon sinks by 38% and 65% respectively by 2100. This will accelerate anthropogenic climate change and its associated impacts on ecosystems and societies.