Carbon Balance Of Peatlands Research Articles

The influence of the hydrometeorological factors on the CO2 fluxes from the oligotrophic bog surface.

The influence of the hydrometeorological factors on the CO2 fluxes from the oligotrophic bog surface.

There and back again: Forty years of change in vegetation patterns in Irish peatlands

Northern peatlands play a disproportionally large role in the global carbon balance due to the massive amount of carbon stored in peat and ongoing sequestration. Vegetation composition and structure are recognised indicators for carbon sequestration and storage potential in these ecosystems, but decadal dynamics and roles of autogenic succession, climate, and land-use herein remain poorly understood.We assessed vegetation changes in the least disturbed centre of twelve Irish peatland reserves sampled across a gradient in temperature and precipitation between 1978(1983)–2021, combining re-classified traditional high-resolution vegetation maps with recent very high-resolution drone imagery. Specifically, we tested whether microform proportions of open water, wet hollow, moist lawn, and dry hummock had changed and explored to what extent changes were related to climate and land-use drivers.Results revealed that the studied peatlands underwent an overall unidirectional surface drying trend, with dry hummocks expanding at the expense of open water and wet hollow, while moist lawns remained approximately equal in proportions. The degree of change varied between the studied peatlands, with western blanket bogs and unrestored raised bogs experiencing more surface drying than mountain blanket bogs and raised bogs under hydrological restoration. While our results indicated climate and/or land-use as drivers of surface drying, our sample size was too small to make definitive conclusions about their exact role.The overall change from wet to dry surface conditions between 1978 and 2021 occurred at a much faster rate than hitherto reported for these slow-changing ecosystems. This raises concern for the future resilience of peatlands to changes in climate and land-use, as well as their potential impact on the peatland carbon balance.

Modeling Pan‐Arctic Peatland Carbon Dynamics Under Alternative Warming Scenarios

AbstractPeatlands store large amounts of carbon in terrestrial ecosystems and they are vulnerable to recent warming. The ongoing warming may change their carbon sink capacity and could reduce their potential to sequester carbon. In this study, we simulated peatland carbon dynamics in distinct future climate conditions using the peatland‐vegetation model (LPJ‐GUESS). The study examined whether less pronounced warming could further enhance the peatland carbon sink capacity and buffer the effects of climate change. It also determined which trajectory peatland carbon balance would follow, what the main drivers were, and which one would dominate in the future. We found that peatlands will largely retain their carbon sink capacity under the climate scenario RCP2.6 to RCP6.0. They are projected to shift from a carbon sink to a carbon‐neutral (5–10 gC m−2 yr−1) in RCP8.5. Higher respiration rates will dominate the net productivity in a warmer world leading to a reduction in carbon sink capacity.

A strong mitigation scenario maintains climate neutrality of northern peatlands

A strong mitigation scenario maintains climate neutrality of northern peatlands

The Multiscale Monitoring of Peatland Ecosystem Carbon Cycling in the Middle Taiga Zone of Western Siberia: The Mukhrino Bog Case Study

The peatlands of the West Siberian Lowlands, comprising the largest pristine peatland area of the world, have not previously been covered by continuous measurement and monitoring programs. The response of peatlands to climate change occurs over several decades. This paper summarizes the results of peatland carbon balance studies collected over ten years at the Mukhrino field station (Mukhrino FS, MFS) operating in the Middle Taiga Zone of Western Siberia. A multiscale approach was applied for the investigations of peatland carbon cycling. Carbon dioxide fluxes at the local scale studied using the chamber method showed net accumulation with rates from 110, to 57.8 gC m−2 at the Sphagnum hollow site. Net CO2 fluxes at the pine-dwarf shrubs-Sphagnum ridge varied from negative (−32.1 gC m−2 in 2019) to positive (13.4 gC m−2 in 2017). The cumulative May-August net ecosystem exchange (NEE) from eddy-covariance (EC) measurements at the ecosystem scale was −202 gC m−2 in 2015, due to the impact of photosynthesis of pine trees which was not registered by the chamber method. The net annual accumulation of carbon in the live part of mosses was estimated at 24–190 gC m−2 depending on the Sphagnum moss species. Long-term carbon accumulation rates obtained by radiocarbon analysis ranged from 28.5 to 57.2 gC m−2 yr−1, with local extremes of up to 176.2 gC m−2 yr−1. The obtained estimates of various carbon fluxes using EC and chamber methods, the accounting for Sphagnum growth and decomposition, and long-term peat accumulation provided information about the functioning of the peatland ecosystems at different spatial and temporal scales. Multiscale carbon flux monitoring reveals useful new information for forecasting the response of northern peatland carbon cycles to climatic changes.

Constraints on potential enzyme activities in thermokarst bogs: Implications for the carbon balance of peatlands following thaw.

Northern peatlands store a globally significant amount of soil organic carbon, much of it found in rapidly thawing permafrost. Permafrost thaw in peatlands often leads to the development and expansion of thermokarst bogs, where microbial activity will determine the stability of the carbon storage and the release of greenhouse gases. In this study, we compared potential enzyme activities between young (thawed ~30years ago) and mature (~200years) thermokarst bogs, for both shallow and deep peat layers. We found very low potential enzyme activities in deep peat layers, with no differences between the young and mature bogs. Peat quality at depth was found to be highly humified (FTIR analysis) in both the young and mature bogs. This suggests that deep, old peat was largely stable following permafrost thaw, without a rapid pulse of decomposition during the young bog stage. For near-surface peat, we found significantly higher potential enzyme activities in the young bog than in the mature-associated with differences in peat quality derived from different Sphagnum species. A laboratory incubation of near-surface peat showed that differences in potential enzyme activity were primarily influenced by peat type rather than oxygen availability. This suggested that the young bog can have higher rates of near-surface decomposition despite being substantially wetter than the mature bog. Overall, our study shows that peat properties are the dominant constraint on potential enzyme activity and that peatland site development (successional pathways and permafrost history) through its influence on peat type and chemistry is likely to determine peat decomposition following permafrost thaw.

Carbon Balance and Spatial Variability of CO2 and CH4 Fluxes in a Sphagnum-Dominated Peatland in a Temperate Climate

Peatlands are a highly effective natural carbon sink. However, the future of the carbon stored in these ecosystems is still uncertain because of the pressure they undergo. An estimation of the peatland carbon balance shows whether the system functions as a carbon sink or a carbon source. La Guette peatland is a temperate Sphagnum-dominated peatland invaded by vascular plants. The studied site was hydrologically disturbed for years by a road crossing its southern part and draining water out of the system. Our aim was to estimate the main carbon fluxes and to calculate the carbon balance at the ecosystem scale. To reach this goal, CO2 and CH4 fluxes, DOC content as well as environmental variables were measured monthly for 2 years on 20 plots distributed across the site to take into account spatial variability. The peatland carbon balance was estimated using empirical models. Results showed that the CO2 fluxes were above 1000 gC m−2 yr−1. In 2013 and 2014 the peatland was a net C source to the atmosphere with an emission of 220 ± 33 gC m−2 yr−1. These results provide evidence that restoration should be performed in order to reduce the water losses and favour the Sphagnum-dominance of this peatland.

Expert assessment of future vulnerability of the global peatland carbon sink

The carbon balance of peatlands is predicted to shift from a sink to a source this century. However, peatland ecosystems are still omitted from the main Earth system models that are used for future climate change projections, and they are not considered in integrated assessment models that are used in impact and mitigation studies. By using evidence synthesized from the literature and an expert elicitation, we define and quantify the leading drivers of change that have impacted peatland carbon stocks during the Holocene and predict their effect during this century and in the far future. We also identify uncertainties and knowledge gaps in the scientific community and provide insight towards better integration of peatlands into modelling frameworks. Given the importance of the contribution by peatlands to the global carbon cycle, this study shows that peatland science is a critical research area and that we still have a long way to go to fully understand the peatland–carbon–climate nexus. Peatlands are impacted by climate and land-use changes, with feedback to warming by acting as either sources or sinks of carbon. Expert elicitation combined with literature review reveals key drivers of change that alter peatland carbon dynamics, with implications for improving models.

The hydraulic conductivity of peat with respect to scaling, botanical composition, and greenhouse gas transport: Mini-aquifer tests from the Red Lake Peatland, Minnesota

Hydraulic conductivity (K) is a key but problematic parameter in groundwater models particularly those that simulate flow in weak, readily deformable media, such as peat deposits. As a result, K represents a critical source of error in models that couple hydrological processes with the carbon balance of peatlands, a globally important source for greenhouse gases. We therefore conducted mini-aquifer tests on two mesoscale bog landforms within the large 1300 km2 Red Lake Peatland of northern Minnesota. These tests offer the dual advantage of determining the fine-scale distribution of K within a large (>900 m3) model domain. In addition, the stress created by a 24 h pumping operation should be capable of mobilizing pools of biogenic gases thoughout a deep peat deposit. The pumping results were monitored by 24 to 38 wells in order to calibrate a 3D finite-volume groundwater model with the aid of PEST (Parameter Estimation Analysis). High K values were determined at a Bog Forest (10−5 to 10−6 m s−1) and Bog Lawn (10−3 to 10−4 m s−1) sites, throughout their deep (>4 m) peat profiles. These tests also detected vertically continuous zones of unexpectedly high or low K values in contrast to the horizontal bedding planes and increasing degree of decomposition with depth. The vertical K zones are suggestive of three different modes of bubble transport that either locally dilate or partially block the peat pores. In addition, the tests provided new insights on a conceptual model linking K to the development of all large (>20 km2) forested bog complexes in mid-continental boreal North America.

Modelling past and future peatland carbon dynamics across the pan-Arctic.

The majority of northern peatlands were initiated during the Holocene. Owing to their mass imbalance, they have sequestered huge amounts of carbon in terrestrial ecosystems. Although recent syntheses have filled some knowledge gaps, the extent and remoteness of many peatlands pose challenges to developing reliable regional carbon accumulation estimates from observations. In this work, we employed an individual- and patch-based dynamic global vegetation model (LPJ-GUESS) with peatland and permafrost functionality to quantify long-term carbon accumulation rates in northern peatlands and to assess the effects of historical and projected future climate change on peatland carbon balance. We combined published datasets of peat basal age to form an up-to-date peat inception surface for the pan-Arctic region which we then used to constrain the model. We divided our analysis into two parts, with a focus both on the carbon accumulation changes detected within the observed peatland boundary and at pan-Arctic scale under two contrasting warming scenarios (representative concentration pathway-RCP8.5 and RCP2.6). We found that peatlands continue to act as carbon sinks under both warming scenarios, but their sink capacity will be substantially reduced under the high-warming (RCP8.5) scenario after 2050. Areas where peat production was initially hampered by permafrost and low productivity were found to accumulate more carbon because of the initial warming and moisture-rich environment due to permafrost thaw, higher precipitation and elevated CO2 levels. On the other hand, we project that areas which will experience reduced precipitation rates and those without permafrost will lose more carbon in the near future, particularly peatlands located in the European region and between 45 and 55°N latitude. Overall, we found that rapid global warming could reduce the carbon sink capacity of the northern peatlands in the coming decades.

Modelling Holocene peatland dynamics with an individual-based dynamic vegetation model

Abstract. Dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs) are designed for the study of past, present and future vegetation patterns together with associated biogeochemical cycles and climate feedbacks. However, most DGVMs do not yet have detailed representations of permafrost and non-permafrost peatlands, which are an important store of carbon, particularly at high latitudes. We demonstrate a new implementation of peatland dynamics in a customized Arctic version of the LPJ-GUESS DGVM, simulating the long-term evolution of selected northern peatland ecosystems and assessing the effect of changing climate on peatland carbon balance. Our approach employs a dynamic multi-layer soil with representation of freeze–thaw processes and litter inputs from a dynamically varying mixture of the main peatland plant functional types: mosses, shrubs and graminoids. The model was calibrated and tested for a sub-Arctic mire in Stordalen, Sweden, and validated at a temperate bog site in Mer Bleue, Canada. A regional evaluation of simulated carbon fluxes, hydrology and vegetation dynamics encompassed additional locations spread across Scandinavia. Simulated peat accumulation was found to be generally consistent with published data and the model was able to capture reported long-term vegetation dynamics, water table position and carbon fluxes. A series of sensitivity experiments were carried out to investigate the vulnerability of high-latitude peatlands to climate change. We found that the Stordalen mire may be expected to sequester more carbon in the first half of the 21st century due to milder and wetter climate conditions, a longer growing season, and the CO2 fertilization effect, turning into a carbon source after mid-century because of higher decomposition rates in response to warming soils.

Biodegradability of Vegetation-Derived Dissolved Organic Carbon in a Cool Temperate Ombrotrophic Bog

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) plays a key role in the peatland carbon balance and serves numerous ecological and chemical functions including acting as a microbial substrate. In this study, we quantify the concentration, biodegradability, and intrinsic properties of DOC obtained from peat, fresh material, and litter from nine species of ombrotrophic bog vegetation. Potential biodegradability was assessed by incubating vegetation extracts for 28 days in the dark and measuring percent DOC loss as the fraction of biodegradable DOC (%BDOC) while DOC properties were characterized using UV–Vis absorbance and fluorescence measurements. The mean initial DOC concentration extracted differed significantly among species (P < 0.05) and was significantly higher in fresh material, 217 ± 259 mg DOC l−1, than either litter or peat extracts with mean concentrations of 82.1 ± 117 mg DOC l−1 and 12.7 ± 1.0 mg DOC l−1, respectively (P < 0.05). %BDOC also differed significantly among species (P < 0.05) and ranged from 52 to 73% in fresh cuttings with the greatest fraction observed in S. magellanicum; 22–46% in litter; and 24% in peat. The majority of variability (82.5%) in BDOC was explained by initial absorbance at 254 nm and total dissolved nitrogen concentration which was further resolved into significant non-linear relationships between %BDOC and both humic-like and protein-like DOC fractions (P < 0.05). Our results highlight the extremely heterogeneous nature of the surface vegetation-derived DOC input in peatlands and stress the importance of vegetation species in peatland ecosystem function.

Carbon fluxes of an alpine peatland in Northern Italy

It is widely known that peatlands are a significant carbon (C) stock. Most peatlands are located in boreal and subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere but some occur also at high altitude and, contrary to the first; their contribution in terms of carbon sequestration is far less studied. In the Alps, there are numerous small peatlands, which are threatened by increasing temperatures and an alteration of their water balance. The aim of this study was to investigate the carbon fluxes of a small-scale fen in the Alps over three years (2012–2014).During the study period, the peatland experienced a high interannual variation in weather conditions while it acted as a carbon source based on CO2 emissions (NEE: 180.7±65.2gCCO2m−2yr−1) for all three years. This was mainly due to the short net C uptake period (73±7 days) and high respiration. Ecosystem respiration and summer gross primary production were both very high compared to other peatlands around the world and compared to a nearby low productive grassland. In wintertime, the soil did not freeze, resulting in a slow decomposition of the organic matter. Low methane fluxes were recorded during a 10-month measurement campaign, for a total of 3.2gCCH4m−2 over the December 2013–September 2014 period. Our findings suggest that the interannual variability of temperature and soil water content exert a strong influence on the carbon balance of peatlands of the Alps and that could further worsen depending upon the magnitude of climate change.

Effects of permafrost aggradation on peat properties as determined from a pan‐Arctic synthesis of plant macrofossils

AbstractPermafrost dynamics play an important role in high‐latitude peatland carbon balance and are key to understanding the future response of soil carbon stocks. Permafrost aggradation can control the magnitude of the carbon feedback in peatlands through effects on peat properties. We compiled peatland plant macrofossil records for the northern permafrost zone (515 cores from 280 sites) and classified samples by vegetation type and environmental class (fen, bog, tundra and boreal permafrost, and thawed permafrost). We examined differences in peat properties (bulk density, carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and organic matter content, and C/N ratio) and C accumulation rates among vegetation types and environmental classes. Consequences of permafrost aggradation differed between boreal and tundra biomes, including differences in vegetation composition, C/N ratios, and N content. The vegetation composition of tundra permafrost peatlands was similar to permafrost‐free fens, while boreal permafrost peatlands more closely resembled permafrost‐free bogs. Nitrogen content in boreal permafrost and thawed permafrost peatlands was significantly lower than in permafrost‐free bogs despite similar vegetation types (0.9% versus 1.5% N). Median long‐term C accumulation rates were higher in fens (23 g C m−2 yr−1) than in permafrost‐free bogs (18 g C m−2 yr−1) and were lowest in boreal permafrost peatlands (14 g C m−2 yr−1). The plant macrofossil record demonstrated transitions from fens to bogs to permafrost peatlands, bogs to fens, permafrost aggradation within fens, and permafrost thaw and reaggradation. Using data synthesis, we have identified predominant peatland successional pathways, changes in vegetation type, peat properties, and C accumulation rates associated with permafrost aggradation.

Experimental warming interacts with soil moisture to discriminate plant responses in an ombrotrophic peatland

AbstractQuestionA better understanding of the response of Sphagnum mosses and associated vascular plants to climate warming is relevant for predicting the carbon balance of peatlands in a warmer world. Open‐top chambers (OTCs) have been used to investigate the effect on soil biogeochemical processes in peatlands, but little information is available on the effects of OTCs on microclimate conditions and the associated response of the plant community. We aimed to understand how simulated warming and differences in soil moisture affect plant species cover.LocationA Sphagnum‐dominated peatlands in French Jura.MethodsWe used OTCs to measure the effect of a near‐ground temperature increase (+1.5 °C on average) on vegetation dynamics over five growing seasons (2008–2012) in a Sphagnum‐dominated peatland, in two adjacent microhabitats with different hydrological conditions – wet and dry. Microclimatic conditions and plant species abundance were monitored at peak biomass in years 1, 2, 3 and 5 and monthly during the plant growing season in year 5.ResultsThe response to warming differed between vascular plants and bryophytes, as well as among species within these groups, and also varied in relation to soil moisture. Andromeda polifolia abundance responded positively to warming, while Vaccinium oxycoccus responded negatively, and Eriophorum vaginatum showed a high resistance.ConclusionDepth of rooting of vascular plants appeared to control the response in plant abundance, while moss abundance depended on various other interacting factors, such as shading by the vascular plant community, precipitation and soil moisture.

Changes in dissolved organic carbon quality in soils and discharge 10 years after peatland restoration

Summary Peatlands are large sources of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to downstream ecosystems and DOC losses account for an important portion of peatland carbon balance. Disturbance and restoration of peatland ecosystems alters ecohydrological conditions that are likely to affect DOC chemistry in both soil water and discharge, although the direction of change and controls on DOC chemistry post-restoration remain unclear. We investigated DOC chemistry (concentration, SUVA254, E2:E3, E4:E6, pentose and hexose concentration) during the growing season (May to October) in soil and discharge of a peatland restored for 10 years and compared the results to those measured at neighboring unrestored and natural peatland sites. Controls on the spatial and temporal variability of DOC chemistry, including pH, water table, temperature, plant cover and type, and carbon dioxide and methane flux were also investigated. After 10 years, restoration increased DOC concentration in soils compared to both natural and unrestored sites. This high DOC concentration likely resulted from high plant productivity post-restoration and a mean water table position deeper than the natural site. Ecohydrological conditions were also correlated to DOC chemistry. High vascular plant cover and photosynthesis rates were correlated to lower SUVA254 and higher pentose concentration, while deeper water table position was correlated to higher E2:E3 and E4:E6. DOC concentration in discharge was lower, and E2:E3 higher, at the restored compared to the unrestored site. Differences in DOC chemistry in discharge water were minimal between the sites except when water was likely sourced from the near surface layer at the restored site, which represents new peat accumulated post-restoration. These results suggest that DOC dynamics 10 years post-restoration remain intermediate between natural and unrestored peatland.

Nitrogen input into Sphagnum bogs via horizontal deposition: an estimate for N-polluted high-elevation sites

Elevated atmospheric deposition of reactive nitrogen species, mainly nitrate (NO3 −) and ammonium (NH4 +), may negatively affect peatland carbon balance and thus contribute to climatic warming. It is difficult to take an accurate inventory of atmospheric N inputs into Sphagnum-dominated bogs, due to uncertainties in estimating horizontal deposition. At two mountain-top peat bogs (Czech Republic, Central Europe), we modelled N interception by replacing S. cuspidatum capitula with polyethylene (PE) strands of an identical surface area. After a 12-week exposure of the samplers to frequent spring and autumn fogs, we compared the amount of N captured by the PE strands (nitrate, ammonium, and organic N) with vertical N deposition via rainfall. Horizontal deposition added 35–69 % N to rainfall N input. The more polluted site exhibited a significantly higher horizontal N deposition than the less polluted site. We scaled our S. cuspidatum data to S. capillifolium, a species common in boreal regions in the form of densely packed carpets. Assuming a proportional decrease in N interception with decreasing Sphagnum surface, we estimated that horizontal deposition in S. capillifolium would add 12–45 % N to rainfall N input. Our data will help to close the N mass balance in peat bogs studies.

Ecosystem-atmosphere exchange of CO2 in a temperate herbaceous peatland in the Sanjiang Plain of northeast China

Northern peatlands contain a considerable share of the terrestrial carbon pool, which will be affected by future climatic variability. Using the static chamber technique, we investigated ecosystem respiration and soil respiration over two growing seasons (2012 and 2013) in a Carex lasiocarpa-dominated peatland in the Sanjiang Plain in China. We synchronously monitored the environmental factors controlling CO2 fluxes. Ecosystem respiration during these two growing seasons ranged from 33.3 to 506.7mg CO2–Cm−2h−1. Through step-wise regression, variations in soil temperature at 10cm depth alone explained 73.7% of the observed variance in log10(ER). The mean Q10 values ranged from 2.1 to 2.9 depending on the choice of depth where soil temperature was measured. The Q10 value at the 10cm depth (2.9) appears to be a good representation for herbaceous peatland in the Sanjiang Plain when applying field-estimation based Q10 values to current terrestrial ecosystem models due to the most optimized regression coefficient (63.2%). Soil respiration amounted to 57% of ecosystem respiration and played a major role in peatland carbon balance in our study. Emphasis on ecosystem respiration from temperate peatlands in the Sanjiang Plain will improve our basic understanding of carbon exchange between peatland ecosystem and the atmosphere.

Annual carbon balance of a peatland 10 yr following restoration

Abstract. Undisturbed peatlands represent long-term net sinks of carbon; however, peat extraction converts these systems into large and persistent sources of greenhouse gases. Although rewetting and restoration following peat extraction have taken place over the last several decades, very few studies have investigated the longer term impact of this restoration on peatland carbon balance. We determined the annual carbon balance of a former horticulturally-extracted peatland restored 10 yr prior to the study and compared these values to the carbon balance measured at neighboring unrestored and natural sites. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) fluxes were measured using the chamber technique biweekly during the growing season from May to October 2010 and three times over the winter period. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) export was measured from remnant ditches in the unrestored and restored sites. During the growing season the restored site had greater uptake of CO2 than the natural site when photon flux density was greater than 1000 μmol m−2 s−1, while the unrestored site remained a source of CO2. Ecosystem respiration was similar between natural and restored sites, which were both significantly lower than the unrestored site. Methane flux remained low at the restored site except from open water pools, created as part of restoration, and remnant ditches. Export of DOC during the growing season was 5.0 and 28.8 g m−2 from the restored and unrestored sites, respectively. Due to dry conditions during the study year all sites acted as net carbon sources with annual balance of the natural, restored and unrestored sites of 250.7, 148.0 and 546.6 g C m−2, respectively. Although hydrological conditions and vegetation community at the restored site remained intermediate between natural and unrestored conditions, peatland restoration resulted in a large reduction in annual carbon loss from the system resulting in a carbon balance more similar to a natural peatland.

Natural pipes in blanket peatlands: major point sources for the release of carbon to the aquatic system

AbstractNatural soil pipes, which have been widely reported in peatlands, have been shown to contribute significantly to total stream flow. Here, using measurements from eight pipe outlets, we consider the role of natural pipes in the transport of fluvial carbon within a 17.4‐ha blanket‐peat‐covered catchment. Concentrations of dissolved and particulate organic carbon (DOC and POC) from pipe waters varied greatly between pipes and over time, ranging between 5.3 and 180.6 mg L−1 for DOC and 0.08 and 220 mg L−1 for POC. Pipes were important pathways for peatland fluvial carbon export, with fluxes varying between 0.6 and 67.8 kg yr−1 (DOC) and 0.1 and 14.4 kg yr−1 (POC) for individual pipes. Pipe DOC flux was equivalent to 20% of the annual DOC flux from the stream outlet while the POC flux from pipes was equivalent to 56% of the annual stream POC flux. The proportion of different forms of aquatic carbon to total aquatic carbon flux varied between pipes, with DOC ranging between 80.0% and 91.2%, POC from 3.6% to 17.1%, dissolved CO2‐C from 2.4% to 11.1% and dissolved CH4‐C from 0.004% to 1.3%. The total flux of dissolved CO2‐C and CH4‐C scaled up to all pipe outlets in the study catchment was estimated to be 89.4 and 3.6 kg yr−1 respectively. Overall, pipe outlets produced discharge equivalent to 14% of the discharge in the stream but delivered an amount of aquatic carbon equivalent to 22% of the aquatic carbon flux at the catchment outlet. Pipe densities in blanket peatlands are known to increase when peat is affected by drainage or drying. Hence, environmental change in many peatlands may lead to an increase in aquatic carbon fluxes from natural pipes, thereby influencing the peatland carbon balance and downstream ecological processes.