Atmospheric Impact of Abandoned Boreal Organic Agricultural Soils Depends on Hydrology of Peat

Authors:
Marja Maljanen, Jyrki Hytönen, Päivi Mäkiranta, Jukka Laine, Pertti J. Martikainen

Book:
Proceedings of the 14th International Peat Congress

Venue:
Stockholm

Keywords:
carbon-dioxide, emission, methane, nitrous-oxide, water-table

Documentfile:
Maljanen et al 2012: Atmospheric Impact of Abandoned Boreal Organic Agricultural Soils Depends on Hydrology of Peat

Summary:

Theme III. Agricultural use of peat and peatlands

SUMMARY

Peat soils drained for agriculture are significant sources of carbon dioxide (CO₂). Leaving these soils abandoned could be an option to mitigate GHG emissions. We measured net CO₂ exchange and fluxes of CH₄ and N₂O for five abandoned sites during three years. Annually, the sites were either small net sinks or sources of CO₂ and CH₄ (-7.8 – 530 g CO₂-C m^-2 and -0.41 – 1.8 g CH₄ m^-2). The net (CH₄ + CO₂ + N₂O) emissions as CO₂ equivalents were lower than in cultivated peat soils and were lowest in the wet year when photosynthesis was favoured over respiration.