Carbon in Peat on Earth through Time (C-PEAT)

Abstract

pool in the terrestrial biosphere. In the form of peat (organic soils) they store at present ~600 Pg c , accumulated mostly since the Last Glacial Maximum. We know that peatlands played an important role in the global c cycle during the Holocene as also recognized by the IPcc A r5 (c iais et al. 2013); however, we still lack a full understanding of how sensitive these c -rich ecosystems are in responding to climatic changes. Also, the lack of data and understanding on some fundamental processes, such as peatland lateral expansion, hinders large-scale synthesis and global modeling efforts. Furthermore, we have little idea about the c pool size and dynamics of peat deposits further back in time, such as during previous interglacials, the Pliocene and beyond, and their sensitivity to climate conditions outside the range of the Holocene. C-PEAT’s goals