Articles | Volume 22, issue 18
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-4627-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-4627-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
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15 Sep 2025
Research article | Highlight paper |
| 15 Sep 2025
| 15 Sep 2025
Organic soils can be CO2 sinks in both drained and undrained hemiboreal peatland forests
Latvian State Forest Research Institute (Silava), Salaspils, 2169, Latvia
Raija Laiho
Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), P.O. Box 2, Helsinki 00791, Finland
Andis Lazdiņš
Latvian State Forest Research Institute (Silava), Salaspils, 2169, Latvia
Thomas Schindler
Department of Geography, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51014, Estonia
Kaido Soosaar
Department of Geography, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51014, Estonia
Jyrki Jauhiainen
Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), P.O. Box 2, Helsinki 00791, Finland
Arta Bārdule
Latvian State Forest Research Institute (Silava), Salaspils, 2169, Latvia
Muhammad Kamil-Sardar
Department of Geography, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51014, Estonia
Ieva Līcīte
Latvian State Forest Research Institute (Silava), Salaspils, 2169, Latvia
Valters Samariks
Latvian State Forest Research Institute (Silava), Salaspils, 2169, Latvia
Andreas Haberl
Michael Succow Foundation (partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre), 17489 Greifswald, Germany
Hanna Vahter
Department of Geography, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51014, Estonia
Dovilė Čiuldienė
Department of Silviculture and Ecology, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Kėdainiai distr., 58344, Lithuania
Jani Anttila
Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), P.O. Box 2, Helsinki 00791, Finland
Kęstutis Armolaitis
Department of Silviculture and Ecology, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Kėdainiai distr., 58344, Lithuania
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Arta Bārdule, Raija Laiho, Jyrki Jauhiainen, Kaido Soosaar, Andis Lazdiņš, Kęstutis Armolaitis, Aldis Butlers, Dovilė Čiuldienė, Andreas Haberl, Ain Kull, Milda Muraškienė, Ivika Ostonen, Gristin Rohula-Okunev, Muhammad Kamil-Sardar, Thomas Schindler, Hanna Vahter, Egidijus Vigricas, and Ieva Līcīte
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Estimates of CO2 fluxes from drained nutrient-rich organic soils in croplands and grasslands in the hemiboreal region of Europe revealed that annual net CO2 fluxes were lower than the latest (2014) IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ) emission factors provided for the whole temperate zone, including the hemiboreal region. The contribution of CO2 fluxes from shallow highly decomposed organic soils, former peatlands that no longer meet the IPCC criterion for organic soils, to total emissions can be high and should not be underestimated.
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A two-year study in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania evaluated forest organic soil carbon balance and the impact of drainage. CO2 emissions from soil did not significantly differ, showing a uniform methodology should be applied in national greenhouse gas inventories. Neither drained or undrained soils lost carbon during the study period. However, it was estimated that the negative impact of drainage on carbon sequestration in hemiboreal forest soils is 0.43±2.69 t C ha−1 year−1.
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The study looked at published data on drained organic forest soils in boreal and temperate zones to revisit current Tier 1 default emission factors (EFs) provided by the IPCC Wetlands Supplement. We examined the possibilities of forming more site-type specific EFs and inspected the potential relevance of environmental variables for predicting annual soil greenhouse gas balances by statistical models. The results have important implications for EF revisions and national emission reporting.
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Estimates of CO2 fluxes from drained nutrient-rich organic soils in croplands and grasslands in the hemiboreal region of Europe revealed that annual net CO2 fluxes were lower than the latest (2014) IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ) emission factors provided for the whole temperate zone, including the hemiboreal region. The contribution of CO2 fluxes from shallow highly decomposed organic soils, former peatlands that no longer meet the IPCC criterion for organic soils, to total emissions can be high and should not be underestimated.
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EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1280, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1280, 2025
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Riparian grey alder forests are important for carbon and water cycling, yet their response to climate extremes is understudied. Using ecosystem flux measurements, we found that a mature alder forest in Estonia remained a strong carbon sink, even during drought. In 2018, carbon uptake peaked due to increased spring productivity and reduced summer respiration, accompanied by enhanced water use efficiency. These results highlight the resilience of alder forests and their role in climate mitigation.
Laura Kuusemets, Ülo Mander, Jordi Escuer-Gatius, Alar Astover, Karin Kauer, Kaido Soosaar, and Mikk Espenberg
SOIL, 11, 1–15, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-11-1-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-11-1-2025, 2025
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We investigated relationships between mineral nitrogen (N) fertilisation rates and additional manure amendment with different crop types through an analysis of soil environmental characteristics and microbiomes, soil N2O and N2 emissions as well as biomass production. The results show that wheat grew well at a fertilisation rate of 80 kg N ha−1, and newly introduced sorghum showed good potential for cultivation in temperate climates.
Vilna Tyystjärvi, Tiina Markkanen, Leif Backman, Maarit Raivonen, Antti Leppänen, Xuefei Li, Paavo Ojanen, Kari Minkkinen, Roosa Hautala, Mikko Peltoniemi, Jani Anttila, Raija Laiho, Annalea Lohila, Raisa Mäkipää, and Tuula Aalto
Biogeosciences, 21, 5745–5771, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5745-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5745-2024, 2024
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Drainage of boreal peatlands strongly influences soil methane fluxes, with important implications for climatic impacts. Here we simulate methane fluxes in forestry-drained and restored peatlands during the 21st century. We found that restoration turned peatlands into a source of methane, but the magnitude varied regionally. In forests, changes in the water table level influenced methane fluxes, and in general, the sink was weaker under rotational forestry compared to continuous cover forestry.
Aldis Butlers, Raija Laiho, Kaido Soosaar, Jyrki Jauhiainen, Thomas Schindler, Arta Bārdule, Muhammad Kamil-Sardar, Andreas Haberl, Valters Samariks, Hanna Vahter, Andis Lazdiņš, Dovilė Čiuldienė, Kęstutis Armolaitis, and Ieva Līcīte
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1397, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1397, 2024
Preprint archived
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A two-year study in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania evaluated forest organic soil carbon balance and the impact of drainage. CO2 emissions from soil did not significantly differ, showing a uniform methodology should be applied in national greenhouse gas inventories. Neither drained or undrained soils lost carbon during the study period. However, it was estimated that the negative impact of drainage on carbon sequestration in hemiboreal forest soils is 0.43±2.69 t C ha−1 year−1.
Jaan Pärn, Mikk Espenberg, Kaido Soosaar, Kuno Kasak, Sandeep Thayamkottu, Thomas Schindler, Reti Ranniku, Kristina Sohar, Lizardo Fachín Malaverri, Lulie Melling, and Ülo Mander
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-24, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-24, 2024
Preprint archived
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Earth’s climate largely depends on greenhouse gas exchange in tropical peatland ecosystems. Its relationships with tropical peatland conditions are poorly understood. We analysed natural peat swamp forests and fens, moderately drained and dry peatlands under a wide variety of land uses. The tropical peat swamp forests were large greenhouse gas sinks while tropical peatlands under moderate and low soil moisture levels emitted carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide.
Jyrki Jauhiainen, Juha Heikkinen, Nicholas Clarke, Hongxing He, Lise Dalsgaard, Kari Minkkinen, Paavo Ojanen, Lars Vesterdal, Jukka Alm, Aldis Butlers, Ingeborg Callesen, Sabine Jordan, Annalea Lohila, Ülo Mander, Hlynur Óskarsson, Bjarni D. Sigurdsson, Gunnhild Søgaard, Kaido Soosaar, Åsa Kasimir, Brynhildur Bjarnadottir, Andis Lazdins, and Raija Laiho
Biogeosciences, 20, 4819–4839, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4819-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4819-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The study looked at published data on drained organic forest soils in boreal and temperate zones to revisit current Tier 1 default emission factors (EFs) provided by the IPCC Wetlands Supplement. We examined the possibilities of forming more site-type specific EFs and inspected the potential relevance of environmental variables for predicting annual soil greenhouse gas balances by statistical models. The results have important implications for EF revisions and national emission reporting.
Jukka Alm, Antti Wall, Jukka-Pekka Myllykangas, Paavo Ojanen, Juha Heikkinen, Helena M. Henttonen, Raija Laiho, Kari Minkkinen, Tarja Tuomainen, and Juha Mikola
Biogeosciences, 20, 3827–3855, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3827-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3827-2023, 2023
Short summary
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In Finland peatlands cover one-third of land area. For half of those, with 4.3 Mha being drained for forestry, Finland reports sinks and sources of greenhouse gases in forest lands on organic soils following its UNFCCC commitment. We describe a new method for compiling soil CO2 balance that follows changes in tree volume, tree harvests and temperature. An increasing trend of emissions from 1.4 to 7.9 Mt CO2 was calculated for drained peatland forest soils in Finland for 1990–2021.
Jaan Pärn, Kaido Soosaar, Thomas Schindler, Katerina Machacova, Waldemar Alegría Muñoz, Lizardo Fachín, José Luis Jibaja Aspajo, Robinson I. Negron-Juarez, Martin Maddison, Jhon Rengifo, Danika Journeth Garay Dinis, Adriana Gabriela Arista Oversluijs, Manuel Calixto Ávila Fucos, Rafael Chávez Vásquez, Ronal Huaje Wampuch, Edgar Peas García, Kristina Sohar, Segundo Cordova Horna, Tedi Pacheco Gómez, Jose David Urquiza Muñoz, Rodil Tello Espinoza, and Ülo Mander
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2021-46, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2021-46, 2021
Manuscript not accepted for further review
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Despite alarming forecasts for the Amazonian peat swamp forests, greenhouse gas emissions from the different peat environments have rarely been compared. We measured CO2, CH4 and N2O emissions from the soil in 3 sites around Iquitos, Peru: a pristine swamp forest, a young forest and a slash-and-burn manioc field. We saw a devastating effect on global climate from a slight water-table drawdown in the peat swamp forests, while the manioc field emitted moderate amounts of the greenhouse gases.
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Co-editor-in-chief
This study challenges the assumption that drained organic soils always lose carbon, showing that flawed methods and inconsistent emission factors may lead to overestimated emissions. These findings are relevant for climate policy and national reporting.
This study challenges the assumption that drained organic soils always lose carbon, showing that...
Short summary
A 2-year study assessed the soil carbon dioxide (CO2) balance of drained and undrained hemiboreal peatland forests across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The study sites included a wide variety of nutrient-rich organic soils, ranging from those near the threshold of organic soil definition to deep peat soils. The soils varied in pH, nutrient levels, and C : N ratio, which contributed to the observed behavior of the soils, demonstrating CO2 sink and source dynamics under both drained and undrained conditions.
A 2-year study assessed the soil carbon dioxide (CO2) balance of drained and undrained...
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