Avaleht

What is PeatlandN2O?

The ground-breaking nature of the PeatlandN2O (N₂O Budgets in Peatlands – from Process to Ecosystem) project lies in the integrated use of a combination of innovative methods, yielding a pioneering synthesis and modeling of nitrous oxide fluxes (N2O) at various spatial scales, linked to microbial processes. The Project will:

1. determine the role of rapidly changing environmental factors such as soil moisture, freeze-thaw, and canopy effectson N₂O emission, particularly in hot spots and hot moments;
2. distinguish between and quantify key N₂O production and consumption processes using labelled nitrogen, isotopologues, and microbiome structure;
3. integrate results of experiments and novel measurement techniques (automated chambers, stationary and mobile eddy covariance towers, canopy profile analysis) into the PEATN2O model of N₂O fluxes and related environmental factors to enable the prediction of hot spots and hot moments of N₂O emissions;
4. upgrade IPCC emission factors and suitable land-use strategies to mitigate N₂O emissions in peatlands, also considering other greenhouse gases;
5. predict the global distribution of N₂O emissions according to the land use and five climate change scenarios for a 100-year time horizon.

Why N₂O & peatlands?

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is a powerful greenhouse gas and dangerous stratospheric O₃ depleting agent. N₂O climate warming potential is 265 times higher than CO₂. Drained nitrogen-rich peat soils are major source of N₂O globally. Climate extreme events may boost the emissions, but knowledge of their effect is scarce. N₂O is a product of various soil processes, including denitrification, nitrification, and other less-studied mechanisms. Partitioning of N₂O fluxes between all these different mechanisms is still a major challenge. Microbial processes are of particular importance for N₂O budgets. The role of canopy and tree stems in N₂O budgets is currently unknown. Novel flux measurement techniques implemented at different levels in combination with remote sensing methods can provide a solid basis for adequate estimation of long-term N₂O fluxes in peatlands from local to the global scale.

Comparison of N₂O fluxes highlighting knowledge gaps addressed by PEATN2O model

This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme Grant Agreement No 101096403 — PeatlandN2O — ERC-2023-ADG https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101096403