Peatlands and the Project Explained

Select a topic to see more results:

How will carbon levels be measured and monitored at the Peatlands and People sites?

A separate monitoring action within the project aims to quantify:

  1. the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the Peatlands and People site network and
  2. the impact of restoration work on reducing GHG emissions and reinstating the peatland carbon sink function.

This will be achieved by combining vegetation mapping, ecohydrological monitoring and GHG measurement using static chamber and eddy covariance approaches. Other peatlands projects in Ireland will be implementing comprehensive monitoring programs during the same time period providing an opportunity to develop methodologies together for optimum outcomes.

Specialised equipment is used to measure ‘carbon fluxes’ – the carbon released from the ground but also the vegetation. These measurements have to be carried out over a couple of years to take account of seasonality. Results from this programme will thereby provide a solid scientific basis and rationale on which to assess restoration success and guide the design of management strategies on other sites where monitoring is not feasible.

This monitoring is also necessary in order to assess the role of vegetation and hydrology on carbon sequestration and GHG dynamics, thereby permitting the quantification of potential emission savings associated with active management. The latter will be essential to quantify emissions associated with managed wetlands to be incorporated in future accounting for Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF).