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OOS-21:
Implications of disturbance on boreal peatland carbon cycling: From sites
to landscape-scale carbon budgets
Tuesday,
August 9, 1:30 PM - 5 PM, Meeting Rooms 511a and 511d, Level 5, Palais
des congrès de Montréal
Organizers:
R. Kelman Wieder
(kelman.wieder@villanova.edu),
Kimberli Scott, Dale Vitt
Description:
Boreal
peatland ecosystems cover 3 to 4% of the earth’s land surface and contain
about 30% of the world’s soil carbon (C) pool. Despite these large C stores,
it is unclear whether peatlands today function as sources or sinks of
atmospheric C. Boreal environments are expected to experience some of the most
dramatic increases in temperature into the 21st century, with probable changes
in precipitation regimes. Because production and decomposition in peatlands
respond to changes in temperature and precipitation, future C cycling in
peatlands is likely to be altered. Peatlands are subject to other disturbances,
including fire, enhanced N deposition, and peat harvesting. This session focuses
on developing a regional landscape perspective on the role of disturbance in
present and future C cycling in peatlands of Canada, Scandinavia, Siberia, and
Alaska. In addition, a newly funded initiative to coordinate boreal peatland
research (PEATNET: Peatland Ecosystem Analysis and Training NETwork) will be
announced.
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