Northern peatlands have accumulated unproportionally high amount of atmospheric C, which is largely lost back to the atmosphere when peatlands are drained for forestry. Rewetting peatlands has thus a very large mitigation potential for climate change. However, the impacts of other greenhouse gases like methane, and changes in biophysical factors like albedo, should be considered when planning mitigation operations in peatlands. However, empirical data on the impact of rewetting on climate affecting variables is still scarce. We will study those aspects. We will collect new data from rewetted peatlands, and use previously collected data from several intensively studied peatlands in Finland. In addition, we will test and improve existing process based models of carbon and greenhouse gas dynamics in peatlands, and produce a synthesis of the climate change mitigation potential of restoring Finnish peatlands, applicable to other northern peatlands as well.

2021

2025