Contrasting vulnerability of drained tropical and high‐latitude peatlands to fluvial loss of stored carbon

摘要: Carbon sequestration and storage in peatlands rely on consistently highwater tables. Anthropogenic pressures including drainage, burning, land conversion for agriculture, timber, biofuel production, cause loss of peat-forming vegetation exposure previously anaerobic peat to aerobic decomposition. This can shift from net CO2 sinks large sources, releasing carbon held millennia. Peatlands also export significant quantities via fluvial pathways, mainly as dissolved organic (DOC). We analyzed radiocarbon (14C) levels DOC drainage water multiple Europe Southeast Asia, infer differences the age lost intact drained systems. In most cases, led to increased release older profile but withmarked related type. Very low DOC-14C runoff tropical indicate loss very old (centuries millennia) stored peat carbon. High-latitude appearmore resilient drainage; 14Cmeasurements UK blanket bogs suggest that exported remains young (<50 years) despite drainage. Boreal temperate fens raised bogs Finland Czech Republic showed intermediate sensitivity. We attribute observed differences to physical climatic between peatlands, particular, hydraulic conductivity temperature, as well extent disturbance associated with notably use changes tropics. Data from the Peak District, an area where air pollution intensive management have triggered Sphagnum loss erosion, suggest additional anthropogenic pressures may trigger much older (>500 year) high-latitude Rewetting at least partially offsets effects age.