Multi-annual carbon fluxes from a lowland agricultural peatland

Lowland peatland in East Anglia has been drained and used as highly productive Grade 1 agricultural land since the 17th century. Drainage of this large carbon (C) store that has accrued over thousands of years results in land surface subsidence and peat wastage. Prolonged exposure of C dense peat soils to oxygen through on-going agricultural management results in sustained emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to the atmosphere. A nationally increasing population and the economic importance of horticultural produce, combined with international commitments to reducing C emissions, requires a better understanding of this system in order to maintain food production and mitigate emissions of CO. Three full years of eddy covariance CO₂ flux measurements were made over leek, lettuce and celery crops. The site functioned as a net source of CO₂ in all years. Fluxes and their variability are discussed with relevance to meteorological conditions and agricultural management practices.