Carbon balance of UK peatlands and losses via the aquatic pathway

Are peatlands a carbon timebomb? Peatland ecosystems cover ~15% of the land area in the UK and store an estimated 2302 Mt carbon; worldwide they cover <3% of the total land area and represent an estimated 39% of the global terrestrial carbon pool. Although peatlands are currently considered carbon sinks, they are vulnerable to the effects of changing climate and land-use. A change in sink strength or in the worst case scenario, a switch to net emission could play a crucial role in the earth’s atmospheric chemistry and global warming potential. It is therefore becoming increasingly important to both accurately quantify the source/sink strength of peatlands and to understand what drives the individual flux terms within the budget. Here I will highlight the work currently taking place under the UKs ‘Carbon Catchment Initiative’ and in particular focus on the importance of quantifying and understanding carbon losses through surface watercourses.