New study aims to find if peat bogs release greenhouse gas when it rains
The causes of climate change are still the subject of heated debate – but a new study aims to find out if the weather itself may be making the problem worse.
Peat soils which are farmed – and thus exposed to the atmosphere – release greenhouse gases.
Extreme weather can change the amount of greenhouse gases being released from peat soils – and understanding this could lead to a way to control the effect.Monitoring the effects of weather on peatlands could provide an effective way to fight climate change.
Last year the Great Dismal Swamp in North Carolina and Virginia was ignited by lightning and burned for 111 days. The *lack* of rain was a contributing factor to the extended duration of the fire and total volume of ‘polluting ‘ gas and particles (“smoke”) released.
The real problem will be if it gets warm enough that the tundra thaws. It’s holding a lot of methane, just like peat. It’s what they mean when they say,”Tipping point.”