A peatland is a type of wetland whose soils consist of organic matter from decaying plants, forming layers of peat. Peatlands arise because of incomplete decomposition of organic matter, usually litter from … See more

Peatlands are found around the globe, although are at their greatest extent at high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. Peatlands are estimated to cover around 3% of the globe's … See more

Records of past human behaviour and environments can be contained within peatlands. These may take the form of human artefacts, or palaeoecological and geochemical See more

Northern peatlands are associated with boreal and subarctic climates. Northern peatlands were mostly built up during the Holocene after … See more

For botanists and ecologists, the term peatland is a general term for any terrain dominated by peat to a depth of at least 30 cm (12 in), even if it has been completely drained (i.e., a peatland can be dry). A peatland that is still capable of forming new peat is called a … See more

Peatlands have unusual chemistry that influences, among other things, their biota and water outflow. Peat has very high cation-exchange … See more

The global distribution of tropical peatlands is concentrated in Southeast Asia where agricultural use of peatlands has been increased … See more