Warming enhances soil carbon accumulation
Warming-Enhanced Soil Carbon Accumulation and New Carbon Sinks
Warming Enhances Soil Carbon Accumulation in Boreal Sphagnum Peatlands
Article link | Yunpeng Zhao et al. | Nature Ecology & Evolution | 2026
Study finds that warming can increase soil carbon accumulation in boreal Sphagnum peatlands by boosting moss productivity, slowing decomposition, and strengthening iron-mediated protection of soil organic matter.
Short-Term Warming Supports Mineral-Associated Carbon Accumulation
Article link | Zhen Zhang et al. | Nature Communications | 2025
Study explores how short-term warming can support mineral-associated soil carbon formation in some conditions, complicating assumptions about warming-driven carbon loss.
Peatland Restoration in Temperate Nations Could Be Carbon Storage Bonanza
Article link | Mongabay | Mongabay | February 9, 2023
Report highlights peatland restoration as a major carbon-storage opportunity in temperate countries where degraded peat soils release carbon.
Research Reveals Negative Feedback Loop Between Climate Change and Soil Carbon Cycling
Article link | University of Exeter / Phys.org | Phys.org | February 2, 2023
Study suggests that warming may increase erosion-induced carbon burial in croplands, creating a possible negative feedback in some soil carbon systems.
Warming: Peatlands Will Store More Carbon Initially, but That Will Change
Article link | University of Queensland | ScienceDaily | September 10, 2018
Long-term peatland study suggests high-latitude peatlands may initially store more carbon under warming, while tropical peatlands may lose storage capacity.
Peatlands Will Store More Carbon as Planet Warms
Article link | University of Queensland / Phys.org | Phys.org | September 10, 2018
Study reports that peatlands may increase carbon storage in colder regions under warming, although continued warming could reverse the effect.
Peatlands, Wetlands, and Carbon Storage
Boreal Peatlands Warming Boosts Soil Carbon
Article link | AcademicJobs | AcademicJobs | June 21, 2026
News summary describes the Nature Ecology & Evolution finding that boreal Sphagnum peatlands may gain soil carbon under warming.
The Pennine Hills Are Full of Holes—Here's How They're Being Restored
Article link | The Conversation / Phys.org | Phys.org | May 24, 2026
Article explains peatland restoration work in the Pennines and why waterlogged Sphagnum-rich soils are essential for long-term carbon accumulation.
The Start of the Healing Process: The Vital Work to Restore Britain's Peatlands
Article link | The Guardian | The Guardian | March 28, 2026
Feature reports on peatland restoration in Britain and why rewetting damaged bogs can help restore carbon storage, biodiversity, and water regulation.
Paper Highlight: Boreal Sphagnum Peatlands May Counteract Carbon Loss Under Warming
Article link | University of Helsinki | University of Helsinki | March 13, 2026
University highlight describes how Sphagnum peatlands may partly offset carbon losses from boreal forests and tundra under future warming.
Congo Basin Blackwater Lakes Are Releasing Ancient Carbon
Article link | ScienceDaily | ScienceDaily | February 24, 2026
Study of Congo Basin waters shows how ancient carbon from tropical peatland systems can move through aquatic pathways and return to the atmosphere.
Scientists Report Increased Rather Than Decreased Soil Carbon Accumulation Under Warming
Article link | Chinese Academy of Sciences | CAS | February 11, 2026
Research news explains how warming can enhance soil carbon accumulation in boreal Sphagnum peatlands through plant productivity, reduced microbial decomposition, and iron protection.
Tropical Peatlands Are a Major Source of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | January 30, 2026
Study examines tropical peatland emissions and how rainfall, groundwater levels, and peat decomposition shape whether peat soils release or retain carbon.
New Research Finds Substantial Peat Deposits in Colombia's Conflicted Amazon
Article link | Mongabay | Mongabay | April 23, 2025
Report highlights newly documented Amazon peatlands and the risk that drained or burned peat could become a major carbon source.
Colombia's Peatlands Could Be a Crucial Tool to Fight Climate Change
Article link | Field Museum / Phys.org | Phys.org | April 15, 2025
Study finds that Colombian peatlands hold large carbon stocks, emphasizing the climate value of wet soils where decomposition is slowed.
World's Largely Unprotected Peatlands Are Ticking Carbon Bomb, Warns Study
Article link | The Guardian | The Guardian | February 13, 2025
News report covers a study warning that peatlands hold enormous carbon stocks but remain poorly protected from warming, land conversion, and degradation.
Only 17% of Peatlands, Vital to Curbing Climate Change, Are Protected
Article link | John Cannon | Mongabay | February 2025
Report highlights the climate risk of unprotected peatlands, which store vast soil carbon but release carbon dioxide when drained, dried, or burned.
Newly Discovered Microbes in Amazon Peatlands Could Affect Global Carbon Balance
Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | January 25, 2025
Study identifies peatland microbes that may influence whether Amazon peat soils store carbon or release greenhouse gases.
Soil Carbon in the World's Tidal Marshes
Article link | Thomas L. Maxwell et al. | Nature Communications | 2024
Global tidal-marsh soil carbon study highlights wetland carbon accumulation and the risk posed by warming, sea-level rise, and human disturbance.
In Peatland Soil, a Warmer Climate and Elevated Carbon Dioxide Rapidly Alter Soil Organic Matter
Article link | U.S. Department of Energy / Phys.org | Phys.org | March 6, 2024
News summary of peatland research showing that warming and elevated CO2 can rapidly change soil organic matter composition and carbon stability.
Climate Warming and Elevated CO2 Alter Peatland Soil Carbon Sources and Stability
Article link | Nicholas O. E. Ofiti et al. | Nature Communications | 2023
Peatland experiment finds that warming and elevated CO2 change soil organic matter sources and stability, challenging assumptions that some peat carbon is inherently protected.
Scientists Explore Hidden Dynamics in Peat Under Mosses and Shrubs
Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | November 24, 2023
Study examines how Sphagnum moss, shrubs, soil enzymes, and microbes shape peat formation and carbon storage.
Rising Temperatures Alter Missing Link of Microbial Processes, Putting Northern Peatlands at Risk
Article link | Georgia Institute of Technology | ScienceDaily | April 3, 2023
Researchers show that warming can disrupt microbial processes in northern peatlands, threatening ecosystems that store large amounts of carbon.
Varied Response of Carbon Dioxide Emissions to Warming in Oxic, Anoxic and Transitional Soil Layers
Article link | Lili Liu et al. | Communications Earth & Environment | 2022
Peatland study shows that different soil layers respond differently to warming, depending on oxygen conditions, water table depth, and microbial activity.
How to Store More Carbon in Soil During Climate Change
Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 20, 2022
Article discusses strategies for increasing soil carbon storage while climate change alters soil moisture, temperature, and decomposition.
The Idea: Uncovering the Peatlands of the Congo Basin
Article link | Mongabay | Mongabay | December 2, 2021
Feature describes the discovery of vast Congo Basin peatlands and their importance as a tropical soil carbon store.
Bacteria Release Climate-Damaging Carbon From Thawing Permafrost
Article link | Colorado State University | ScienceDaily | December 10, 2020
Research shows that thawing permafrost soils can collapse and release stored carbon through microbial activity.
Thawing Permafrost Releases Organic Compounds Into the Air
Article link | University of Helsinki | ScienceDaily | October 14, 2020
Study finds that thawing Arctic peatland permafrost releases volatile organic compounds as well as greenhouse gases, adding complexity to climate feedbacks.
Scientists Record Rapid Carbon Loss From Warming Peatlands
Article link | Oak Ridge National Laboratory / Phys.org | Phys.org | July 28, 2020
SPRUCE warming experiment shows that peatland warming can trigger rapid carbon loss from peat soils.
Massive Peatland Carbon Banks Vulnerable to Rising Temperatures
Article link | Anya M. Hopple et al. | Nature Communications | 2020
SPRUCE experiment shows that warming and elevated CO2 can increase methane production and alter the fate of deep peat carbon.
Northern Peatlands Will Lose Some of Their CO2 Sink Capacity
Article link | ScienceDaily | ScienceDaily | April 3, 2020
Model study suggests northern peatlands may remain carbon sinks this century but lose some CO2 uptake capacity under warming.
Climate Change Impacts Peatland Carbon Dioxide Gas Exchange
Article link | University of Eastern Finland / Phys.org | Phys.org | April 8, 2019
Study shows that peatland carbon exchange is highly vulnerable to warming-driven changes in soil moisture and aeration.
Stability of Peatland Carbon to Rising Temperatures
Article link | Rachel M. Wilson et al. | Nature Communications | 2016
SPRUCE-related research examines how peatland carbon and methane production respond to deep warming.
Vicious Circle: Scientists Warn Peat Fires and Global Warming May Intensify Each Other
Article link | Mongabay | Mongabay | March 10, 2015
Article explains how peat fires release stored soil carbon and can reinforce climate warming, especially where peatlands dry out.
Permafrost, Arctic, and Frozen-Soil Carbon Feedbacks
Northern Permafrost Switches From Carbon Sink to Source Earlier Than Expected
Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 15, 2026
Updated permafrost modeling suggests deep frozen soil carbon may become exposed faster than earlier estimates, accelerating carbon release from northern ecosystems.
Warming Unlocks Ancient Carbon in Tibetan Permafrost, Triggering Climate Feedback
Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 3, 2026
Study of Tibetan Plateau permafrost shows that warming can stimulate plant growth at first while also accelerating microbial decomposition of ancient soil carbon.
Tiny DNA Hitchhikers May Be Reshaping Life in Thawing Permafrost
Article link | EurekAlert | EurekAlert | June 2026
Research release reports that mobile genetic elements may shape microbial adaptation in thawing permafrost, influencing whether newly available carbon is stored or emitted.
Permafrost Tipping Point Triggered by Warming-Driven Loss of Old Carbon
Article link | Yutong Wei et al. | Nature Communications | 2026
Research identifies a warming threshold where permafrost ecosystems shift from carbon gain through plant productivity toward old-carbon loss through respiration.
Dissolved Organic Matter: Climate Change's Double-Edged Sword
Article link | EurekAlert | EurekAlert | November 19, 2025
Study discusses dissolved organic matter as both a climate feedback risk and a potential carbon-storage pathway in peatlands and thawing permafrost systems.
Microbes Wake Up
Article link | Alyssa Findlay | Nature Climate Change | November 5, 2025
Research highlight explains how thawing permafrost can awaken dormant microbes, increasing the risk that frozen soil carbon becomes greenhouse gas emissions.
Warming of 2°C Intensifies Arctic Carbon Sink but Weakens Alpine Permafrost Carbon Uptake
Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | September 17, 2025
Study compares Arctic and alpine permafrost responses, showing that warming can strengthen carbon uptake in some regions while weakening it in drier alpine systems.
A Third of the Arctic's Vast Carbon Sink Now a Source of Emissions, Study Reveals
Article link | The Guardian | The Guardian | January 21, 2025
Study reports that parts of Arctic tundra, forests, and wetlands have shifted from carbon sinks to sources as warming accelerates soil carbon release.
Satellite Data Indicates Recent Arctic Peatland Expansion
Article link | K. A. Crichton et al. | Communications Earth & Environment | 2025
Satellite-based study finds evidence of Arctic peatland expansion, raising questions about whether warming may create new carbon sinks in some northern landscapes.
How a Warming Arctic Is Accelerating Global Climate Change
Article link | Northern Arizona University / Phys.org | Phys.org | July 26, 2024
Article summarizes research on biological processes in warming Arctic tundra and what permafrost carbon feedback may mean for global climate.
Abrupt Permafrost Thaw Found to Intensify Warming Effects on Soil CO2 Flux
Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | April 30, 2024
Study shows that thermokarst and abrupt thaw can change how permafrost soil carbon responds to warming.
Climate Change Impacts on Supra-Permafrost Soil and Aquifer Hydrology
Article link | Neelarun Mukherjee et al. | arXiv | 2025
Preprint examines how Arctic warming changes thaw depth, soil temperatures, and hydrological activity in carbon-rich permafrost watersheds.
Exceptional Surge in Methane Emissions From Wetlands Worries Scientists
Article link | Carbon Brief | Carbon Brief | March 20, 2023
Article explains how warming wetlands and thawing permafrost can awaken microbes that emit methane, complicating the climate role of soil carbon stores.
Arctic Warming Linked to Increasing Arctic Wildfires
Article link | EurekAlert | EurekAlert | November 3, 2022
Study links Arctic warming to fire risk in peatland soils, where drying and thawing can release long-stored carbon.
Are New Carbon Sinks Appearing in the Arctic?
Article link | University of Helsinki | ScienceDaily | May 9, 2022
Scientists report signs of proto-peat formation in a warming Arctic, suggesting that new peatland vegetation may create local carbon sinks.
Permafrost Peatlands Approaching Tipping Point
Article link | University of Leeds | ScienceDaily | March 14, 2022
Study warns that permafrost peatlands may cross climate thresholds as warming overwhelms the frozen conditions that preserve soil carbon.
Imminent Tipping Point Threatening Europe's Permafrost Peatlands
Article link | Carbon Brief | Carbon Brief | March 14, 2022
Explainer covers research showing that European permafrost peatlands face rapid climate-driven destabilization and potential carbon release.
Climate Warming Accelerating Carbon Loss From Thawing Arctic Soils
Article link | Northern Arizona University / Phys.org | Phys.org | March 16, 2016
Field research from Arctic soils shows that warming can accelerate carbon loss from thawing permafrost, strengthening a positive climate feedback.
Historical Climate Effects of Permafrost Peatland Surprise Researchers
Article link | University of Helsinki | EurekAlert | June 17, 2021
Paleoclimate study shows that thawing permafrost peatlands can change water levels, vegetation, methane emissions, and long-term climate feedbacks.
Mitigation of Arctic Permafrost Carbon Loss Through Climate Policy
Article link | Yunping Chen et al. | Nature Communications | 2020
Study shows that climate mitigation can reduce Arctic permafrost carbon losses, making soil carbon feedbacks relevant to emissions pathways.
Fast Response of Cold Ice-Rich Permafrost in Northeast Siberia to a Warming Climate
Article link | Jan Nitzbon et al. | Nature Communications | 2020
Permafrost modeling shows how ice-rich landscapes can thaw rapidly under warming, increasing the risk of mobilizing frozen carbon pools.
Carbon Emission From Permafrost Soils Underestimated by Climate Models
Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 15, 2020
Research indicates that old permafrost carbon may be more vulnerable to oxidation and release than many models assume.
Arctic Permafrost Thaw Plays Greater Role in Climate Change Than Previously Estimated
Article link | EurekAlert | EurekAlert | February 3, 2020
Study highlights the large carbon reservoir in northern permafrost and the importance of including thaw processes in climate projections.
When Permafrost Thaws
Article link | Nature Geoscience | Nature Geoscience | November 30, 2020
Commentary explains how permafrost warming activates microbial decomposition of frozen soil organic matter and releases carbon.
Permafrost Collapse Is Accelerating Carbon Release
Article link | Merritt R. Turetsky et al. | Nature | April 2019
Commentary warns that abrupt thaw and ground collapse can greatly increase the release of carbon from Arctic permafrost soils.
New Research Reveals Climate Change Secrets Hidden in the Permafrost
Article link | EurekAlert | EurekAlert | April 10, 2019
Research on ancient permafrost thaw helps explain how warming can destabilize ice-rich soils and release previously frozen carbon.
Massive Remobilization of Permafrost Carbon During Post-Glacial Warming
Article link | Tommaso Tesi et al. | Nature Communications | 2016
Study of past warming shows that permafrost carbon can be remobilized and transported during thaw, offering clues for future Arctic carbon release.
A Simpler Way to Estimate the Feedback Between Permafrost Carbon and Climate
Article link | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory / Phys.org | Phys.org | October 5, 2015
Researchers develop a simpler model to estimate how permafrost carbon responds to warming at large scales.
Sunlight Stimulates Release of Climate-Warming Gas From Arctic Permafrost
Article link | University of Michigan / Phys.org | Phys.org | February 11, 2013
Study shows that sunlight can accelerate conversion of thawed permafrost carbon into carbon dioxide in Arctic waters.
Climate Change and Permafrost Thaw Alter Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Article link | EurekAlert | EurekAlert | 2014
Research release explains that permafrost thaw can initially increase carbon sequestration in some ecosystems while also raising methane emissions over time.
Soil Carbon Loss and Climate Feedbacks Under Warming
Nonlinear Temperature Change Responses Shape Soil Organic Carbon Loss-Gain Transitions in Global Mollisol Croplands
Article link | Xiangtian Meng et al. | Nature Communications | May 27, 2026
Research on global Mollisol croplands finds nonlinear soil carbon responses to warming, with some regions shifting between soil carbon loss and gain under changing climate conditions.
Global Hotspots of Particulate Organic Carbon Losses Under Warming
Article link | Shicheng Sun et al. | Nature Communications | 2026
Study maps where particulate organic carbon is most vulnerable to warming, highlighting cold regions where soil carbon losses may be especially sensitive to climate change.
Warming Triggers Unprecedented Carbon Loss From Tropical Soils
Article link | Claire Asher | Mongabay | September 2025
Field warming experiment in tropical forest soils reports large increases in soil carbon emissions, raising concern about tropical soil carbon vulnerability.
Projected Soil Carbon Loss With Warming in Constrained Earth System Models
Article link | Shijie Ren et al. | Nature Communications | 2024
Model-constrained study projects soil carbon losses under warming and emphasizes the need to represent soil carbon turnover more accurately.
Global Soil Profiles Indicate Depth-Dependent Soil Carbon Loss Under Warming
Article link | Meng Wang et al. | Nature Communications | 2022
Global soil-profile study shows that soil carbon vulnerability varies by depth, emphasizing the need to include deep soils in warming projections.
Soils Could Release Much More Carbon Than Expected as Climate Warms
Article link | Marine Biological Laboratory / Phys.org | Phys.org | March 9, 2017
Whole-soil warming experiment shows that deeper soil layers can release substantial carbon dioxide when warmed.
Why Soil Could Make Climate Change Worse Than Scientists Thought
Article link | Justin Worland | Time | March 2017
News article explains research showing that warming soils can release more carbon dioxide than expected, especially when deeper soil carbon is included.
Microbes, Respiration, and Soil Organic Matter Processes
Ecosystem Productivity Shapes How Soil Microbes Store or Release Carbon
Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | January 19, 2026
Research shows that ecosystem productivity influences whether microbial activity contributes to carbon storage or carbon release in soils.
Air and Soil Warming Have Different Effects on Soil Organic Carbon Storage
Article link | Zhen Luo et al. | Communications Earth & Environment | 2026
Study separates the effects of air warming and soil warming, showing that direct soil warming tends to reduce soil organic carbon storage by accelerating decomposition.
Nonlinear Microbial Thermal Response and Its Implications for Abrupt Soil Organic Carbon Responses to Warming
Article link | Kaiyu Yu et al. | Nature Communications | 2025
Study shows that microbial carbon-use efficiency and respiration respond nonlinearly to temperature, with implications for abrupt soil carbon changes under warming.
Study Reveals Accelerated Soil Priming Under Climate Warming
Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | February 28, 2024
Research shows that warming can enhance soil priming, allowing fresh carbon inputs to stimulate decomposition of older soil organic carbon.
Experimental Warming Accelerates Positive Soil Priming in Forest Soils
Article link | Xiaofei Tao et al. | Nature Communications | 2024
Study finds that warming can increase microbial priming, reducing the net soil carbon gain from fresh plant inputs.
Enhanced Response of Soil Respiration to Experimental Warming
Article link | Guangsheng Wang et al. | Nature Geoscience | 2024
Research shows stronger soil respiration responses to warming than expected, adding evidence that soil carbon feedbacks may be underestimated.
Warming Reduces Priming Effect of Soil Organic Carbon Decomposition
Article link | Xue Li et al. | Global Biogeochemical Cycles | 2024
Study examines how warming affects priming effects in soil organic carbon decomposition, an important mechanism in terrestrial carbon balance.
Soil Respiration Signals in Response to Sustainable Soil Management Practices Enhance Soil Organic Carbon Stocks
Article link | Mario Guevara | arXiv | 2024
Preprint models soil respiration, soil temperature, soil moisture, and soil organic carbon to assess how management practices can support soil carbon stocks.
Researchers Study Temperature Sensitivity of Soil Microbial Respiration
Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | December 21, 2023
Research explores how soil microbial respiration responds to temperature, a key mechanism in soil carbon feedbacks under climate warming.
Soil Organic Carbon Is a Key Determinant of Methane Sink in Global Forest Soils
Article link | Jinho Lee et al. | Nature Communications | 2023
Study links soil organic carbon to methane uptake in forest soils, showing how carbon storage and greenhouse-gas dynamics interact under climate change.
Decomposition of Rhizospheric Soil Organic Carbon Is More Sensitive to Climate Warming
Article link | Zhang Nannan | Phys.org | December 1, 2021
Study finds that root-zone soil carbon decomposition is more temperature-sensitive than bulk soil carbon, affecting forecasts of forest carbon feedbacks.
Soil Holds Potential to Slow Global Warming, Researchers Find
Article link | Stanford University / Phys.org | Phys.org | October 5, 2017
Global soil carbon research shows that soils, roots, peatlands, and permafrost hold major carbon stocks that could either slow or accelerate climate change.
Fire, Drought, Land Use, and Hydrology
Agriculture Drives Most Tropical Peatland Loss in Indonesia, Peru and DRC
Article link | Mongabay | Mongabay | May 12, 2026
Study summary links tropical peatland loss to agriculture, warning that conversion and fire can release large stores of soil carbon.
Warming May Boost Soil Carbon Storage in Boreal Sphagnum Peatlands, Study Finds
Article link | Zhang Nannan | Phys.org | February 11, 2026
News report summarizes the Nature Ecology & Evolution study showing that Sphagnum peatlands may accumulate more soil carbon under warming when hydrology and vegetation remain stable.
Permafrost and Wildfire Carbon Emissions Indicate Need for Climate Overshoot Limits
Article link | Christina Schädel et al. | Communications Earth & Environment | 2026
Analysis warns that permafrost carbon emissions can continue after peak warming, making long-term frozen-soil carbon feedbacks important for climate policy.
Widespread Peat Carbon Losses Driven by Extreme Fire Conditions
Article link | J. Schoenecker et al. | Nature Geoscience | 2026
Research links extreme fire weather and peatland vulnerability, showing how warming and drying can expose peat soils to major carbon losses.
Ditches on Peatland Oil Palm Plantations Are an Overlooked Source of Methane
Article link | Mongabay | Mongabay | December 30, 2025
Report shows that drainage ditches in peatland plantations can emit methane while dried peat soils release carbon dioxide.
Peatlands' Huge Reservoir of Carbon at Risk of Release Under Warming Climate
Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | October 23, 2025
Study warns that drought under warmer future conditions could greatly increase peatland carbon loss, turning long-term carbon sinks into carbon sources.
Study Reveals Differences in Soil Organic Carbon Levels Under Wetland Vegetation
Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | May 19, 2025
Research examines how wetland vegetation, hydrology, and climate-related stresses shape soil organic carbon dynamics.
Just 17% of World's Peatlands Are Protected, New Study Warns
Article link | Carbon Brief | Carbon Brief | February 13, 2025
Article explains how warming, permafrost thaw, drying, and fires threaten peatland carbon stores, while protection remains limited globally.
Microbial Responses to Changing Plant Community Protect Peatland Carbon Storage
Article link | Yao Zhang et al. | Nature Communications | 2025
Research suggests that vegetation shifts and microbial responses may help protect peatland carbon storage during periods of warming and drying.
Climate-Human Interactions Influence Widespread Peatland Subsidence
Article link | Zhihao Xue et al. | Communications Earth & Environment | 2025
Study links peatland subsidence to climate and human pressures, showing how degraded peat soils can lose their carbon-storage function.
Whole-Soil Warming Leads to Substantial Soil Carbon Loss in Alpine Grassland
Article link | Yanhong Chen et al. | Nature Communications | 2024
Whole-profile warming experiment finds strong increases in soil organic carbon-derived CO2 emissions, especially from deeper alpine grassland soils.
Experimental Warming and Drying Increase Older Carbon Release From Tropical Forest Soils
Article link | Karis J. McFarlane et al. | Nature Communications | 2024
Tropical forest soil experiment shows warming and drying can mobilize older soil carbon, increasing vulnerability of a major terrestrial carbon sink.
Peatlands Trap Carbon Dioxide, Even During Droughts
Article link | CNRS / Phys.org | Phys.org | September 16, 2019
Study suggests that some peatlands can continue trapping carbon during drought, depending on vegetation and hydrological conditions.
Africa's Tropical Land Emitted More CO2 Than the US in 2016
Article link | Carbon Brief | Carbon Brief | August 13, 2019
Satellite-based analysis discusses tropical land carbon emissions, including peatlands and warming-related soil carbon release.
Global Peatland Dry-Out Could Release 860 Million Tons of CO2 Every Year
Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 16, 2021
Study warns that drying peatlands could release vast amounts of carbon dioxide each year as warming and hydrological change accelerate decomposition.
Study Finds Warming Peat May Boost Greenhouse Gases
Article link | University of Oregon / Phys.org | Phys.org | June 15, 2020
Study of warmed peatlands finds that heating can increase greenhouse gas emissions, especially methane, from carbon-rich peat soils.
Recent Plantation Expansions on Peatlands Came With Huge Carbon Cost
Article link | Mongabay | Mongabay | April 27, 2016
Report explains how peatland drainage for plantations releases carbon dioxide from soils even without fire.
Northern Wildfires Threaten Runaway Climate Change
Article link | University of Guelph | ScienceDaily | December 6, 2010
Research warns that more severe northern wildfires can shift permafrost and peatland ecosystems from carbon sinks to carbon sources.
Northern Wildfires Threaten Runaway Climate Change, Study Reveals
Article link | University of Guelph | EurekAlert | December 5, 2010
Study release explains how fires in northern peatland and permafrost regions can release carbon accumulated over thousands of years.
Background, Data, Collections, and Overviews
Dataset About Warming Effects on Carbon Cycling and Permafrost Ecosystems
Article link | Tianbao Bao et al. | Scientific Data | 2026
Dataset compiles warming effects on permafrost carbon cycling, offering data for improving projections of soil carbon feedbacks in frozen landscapes.
Climate Warming Effects on Soil Ecosystems
Article link | Nature Index | Nature | 2026
Topic page summarizes how warming alters soil ecosystems, including decomposition, microbial activity, nutrient cycling, and soil carbon storage.
Carbon Cycle Articles Within Nature Communications
Article link | Nature Communications | Nature | 2026
Subject page collects carbon-cycle research including soil organic carbon responses to warming and cropland carbon loss-gain transitions.
Soil Microbiology Articles Within Nature Communications
Article link | Nature Communications | Nature | 2026
Subject page includes studies on soil microbes, peatland microbial communities, warming responses, and carbon cycling.
Wetlands Ecology Articles Within Nature Communications
Article link | Nature Communications | Nature | 2026
Subject page gathers wetland ecology studies, including peatland soil carbon stability under warming and elevated CO2.
Peatlands and Climate Change
Article link | IUCN | IUCN | 2025
Issue brief explains why peatlands are major soil carbon stores and why restoration and protection are important climate solutions.
Dual Roles of Microbes in Mediating Soil Carbon Dynamics in Response to Warming
Article link | Nature Communications Collection | Nature | 2024
Collection includes research showing that microbes can both accelerate carbon release and contribute to stable soil carbon formation under warming.
Tipping Points
Article link | Carbon Brief | Carbon Brief | 2024
Carbon Brief hub collects reporting on climate tipping points, including permafrost carbon, peatlands, and warming thresholds.
Peatlands and Wetlands
Article link | Nature Collection | Nature | October 31, 2023
Collection includes research on peatland carbon storage, warming, greenhouse gas emissions, and wetland ecosystem change.
UN Land Report: Five Key Takeaways for Climate Change, Food Systems and Nature Loss
Article link | Carbon Brief | Carbon Brief | April 27, 2022
Explainer summarizes land-degradation findings, including risks from peatland drying, permafrost thaw, and carbon feedback loops.
Guest Post: How Human Activity Threatens the World's Carbon-Rich Peatlands
Article link | Carbon Brief | Carbon Brief | December 21, 2020
Expert article describes how warming, drainage, sea-level rise, fire, and land-use change threaten peatland carbon stores.
Peatlands and Climate
Article link | International Peatland Society | IPS | 2019
Overview explains how peatlands store carbon, how warming and hydrological change affect decomposition, and why peatland management matters for climate.
Soil Carbon Storage
Article link | Nature Education | Nature Scitable | 2010
Background article explains soil carbon storage, soil organic matter, land-use change, and why soils matter in the global carbon cycle.
