Speakers:
Jonas Lembrechts
Sandra Słowińska
28 January 15:00 EET
Participation link for IPS members via Peatland Snippets
Peatland microclimates remain understudied, despite their well-recognized influence on habitat conditions. Understanding their climatic characteristics poses significant challenges due to the substantial variation both between and within different peatland types.
To address this knowledge gap, the SoilTemp database launched a global initiative to collect micrometeorological data from peatlands worldwide, an effort that has brought together data from hundreds of locations from peatlands all over the world.
In this seminar, we will introduce the SoilTemp database and its pivotal role in mapping microclimates across diverse ecosystems. We will then focus on the distinctive factors shaping the microclimate of Sphagnum-dominated peatlands, highlighting their potential role as refugia in the face of climate change. We will also discuss the risks to their microclimate buffering capacity under ongoing climate and land-use changes.
We conclude with an invitation to collaborate in this international effort to enhance our understanding of peatland microclimates and their critical ecological roles.
