From the top: surface-derived carbon fuels greenhouse gas production at depth in a peatland

Hedgpeth, Alexandra; Hoyt, Alison M.; Cavanaugh, Kyle C.; McFarlane, Karis J.; Cusack, Daniela F.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2667-2025

Articles | Volume 22, issue 11

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2667-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2667-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 22, issue 11

Research article

|

13 Jun 2025

Research article |

| 13 Jun 2025

From the top: surface-derived carbon fuels greenhouse gas production at depth in a peatland

Alexandra Hedgpeth, Alison M. Hoyt, Kyle C. Cavanaugh, Karis J. McFarlane, and Daniela F. Cusack

Data sets

Changuinola peat soil characteristics and gas emission raw data October 2019 A. Hedgpeth et al. https://doi.org/10.15485/2566016

Short summary

Tropical peatlands store ancient carbon and have been identified as both being vulnerable to future climate change and taking a long time to recover after a disturbance. It is unknown if these gases are produced from decomposition of 1000-year-old peat. Radiocarbon dating shows emitted gases are young, indicating that surface carbon (rather than old peat) drives emissions. Preserving these ecosystems can trap old carbon, mitigating climate change.