Peatlands: aquatic regulatorsThis is a peat marsh or peatland found in Belarus. Peat marshes are loc

Peatlands: aquatic regulatorsThis is a peat marsh or peatland found in Belarus. Peat marshes are locations dominated by soil layers known as, well, peat, a mixture of organic material in various states of decomposition, produced by centuries of plants growing and dying in the same location.Plants growing and dying on top of each other, like in this bog, will pile up thick layers of organic material mixed with large amounts of water. That soil will then serve as an anchor for additional plants to grow, stabilizing the water lines and the ecosystem over time. Those layers can then serve as homes for all sorts of additional plant and animal life, dependent on the stabilized peat layers.Peatlands are hugely important for mankind. They contain large amounts of stored organic carbon in them, so if they are damaged or destroyed, that carbon will rapidly release to the ecosystem and the atmosphere. Protecting peatlands therefore is a key step in fighting climate change.Peatlands in many areas are in fact under siege as they sit at areas where fresh water, like that found in a river, becomes stagnant. Draining peatlands can give water supplies useful for farming, electricity generation, and shipping, and can create land that people can build on. Every time this happens, the end result is going to be additional CO2 pumped into the atmosphere.These systems also serve as natural barriers against the weather. Peat bog soils can be up to 90% water, making them dense and capable of absorbing the force of storm surges and waves. Thick layers of peatlands can serve as natural protectors for cities upstream from hurricanes and typhoons, but only if they’re left in place. If the city upstream diverts the water that sustains them, the city may enjoy the water supply, but it also can put itself at greater risk from the oceans.-JBBImage credit: EGU Open Accesshttp://imaggeo.egu.eu/view/614/Read more:http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/biodiversity/habitats-2/peatlands.htmhttp://www.wetlands.org/Whatarewetlands/Peatlands/tabid/2737/Default.aspxhttp://www.peatsociety.org/peatlands-and-peat/what-peat -- source link

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