Bog breathing and carbon stock assessments

This research paper examines 'bog breathing'—the shrinkage and expansion of peat surface levels in response to water table changes—and its impact on carbon stock calculations in northern England's upland blanket bogs.

• Peat surface levels, and consequently soil depths, fluctuate due to 'bog breathing,' which is primarily driven by the shrinkage and expansion of peat in response to changes in the water table. This mechanism has the potential to influence the accuracy of carbon stock calculations, which typically depend on soil depth, bulk density, and carbon concentration.
• The study investigated peat depth and water tables across three grouse moors on blanket bogs in northern England, comparing heather management interventions including burning, mowing, and uncut areas. It also analyzed the effects of slope and vegetation types—specifically ling heather, cottongrass, and Sphagnum moss—comparing field data with laboratory simulations of drought and re-wetting.
• The results suggest that apparent carbon losses previously attributed to enhanced decomposition from rising temperatures may actually be explained by peat shrinkage and expansion. Consequently, the authors recommend that total peat depth and bulk density be accurately recorded during carbon stock assessments.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2019). Bog breathing and carbon stock assessments. https://www.sei.org/publications/bog-breathing-and-carbon-stock-assessments/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Bog breathing and carbon stock assessments. 2019. https://www.sei.org/publications/bog-breathing-and-carbon-stock-assessments/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Bog breathing and carbon stock assessments |date=3 June 2019 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/bog-breathing-and-carbon-stock-assessments/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2019bog, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Bog breathing and carbon stock assessments}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2019}, month = jun, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/bog-breathing-and-carbon-stock-assessments/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }