Peatlands across the Arctic are expanding as the climate warms, new research shows.
Peatlands across the Arctic are expanding as the climate warms, new research shows.
Scientists used satellite data, drones and on-the-ground observations to assess the edges of existing peatlands (waterlogged ecosystems that store vast amounts of carbon).
The study – led by the University of Exeter – found peatlands in the European and Canadian Arctic have expanded outwards in the last 40 years.
While this could slow climate change by storing carbon, the researchers warn that extreme future warming could cause widespread loss of peatlands – releasing that carbon and further accelerating the climate crisis.
Read more at: University of Exeter
Drone image of the research team in an Arctic peatland (Photo Credit: Dan Charman / ICAAP)
