Greenhouse gas removal in agricultural peatland via raised water levels and soil amendment

Jeewani, Peduruhewa H. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8883-9887; Brown, Robert W.; Rhymes, Jennifer M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9347-9863; McNamara, Niall P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5143-5819; Chadwick, David R.; Jones, Davey L.; Evans, Christopher D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7052-354X. 2025 Greenhouse gas removal in agricultural peatland via raised water levels and soil amendment. Biochar, 7 (1), 39. 15, pp. 10.1007/s42773-024-00422-2

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00422-2

Abstract/Summary

Peatlands are an important natural store of carbon (C). Drainage of lowland peatlands for agriculture and the subsequent loss of anaerobic conditions had turned these C stores into major emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Practical management strategies are needed to reduce these emissions, and ideally to reverse them to achieve net GHG removal (GGR). Here we show that a combination of enhanced C input as recalcitrant organic matter, CH 4 suppression by addition of terminal electron acceptors, and suppression of decomposition by raising water levels has the potential to achieve GGR in agricultural peat. We measured GHG (CO2, N2O, and CH4) fluxes for 1 year with intensive sampling (6 times within the first 56 days) followed by monthly sampling in outdoor mesocosms with high (0cm) and low (−40cm) water table treatments and five contrasting organic amendments ( Miscanthus -derived biochar, Miscanthus chip, paper waste, biosolids, and barley straw) were applied to high water table cores, with and without iron sulphate (FeSO4). Biochar produced the strongest net soil C gain, suppressing both peat decomposition and CH4 emissions. No other organic amendment generated similar GGR, due to higher decomposition and CH4 production. FeSO 4 application further suppressed CO2 and CH4 release following biochar addition. While we did not account for life-cycle emissions of biochar production, or its longer-term stability, our results suggest that biochar addition to re-wetted peatlands could be an effective climate mitigation strategy.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1007/s42773-024-00422-2
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Land-Atmosphere Interactions (2025-)
ISSN:	2524-7867
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	carbon sequestration, biochar, sustainable agriculture, methane, carbon dioxide, peat
NORA Subject Terms:	Agriculture and Soil Science Atmospheric Sciences
Date made live:	28 Feb 2025 09:58 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/538983

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1007/s42773-024-00422-2

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Land-Atmosphere Interactions (2025-)

ISSN:

2524-7867

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.

Additional Keywords:

carbon sequestration, biochar, sustainable agriculture, methane, carbon dioxide, peat