Soil moisture and microbiome explain greenhouse gas exchange in global peatlands

Abstract Earth’s climate is tightly connected to carbon and nitrogen exchange between the atmosphere and ecosystems. Wet peatland ecosystems take up carbon dioxide in plants and accumulate organic carbon in soil but release methane. Man-made drainage releases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide from pe...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jaan Pärn, Sandeep Thayamkottu, Maarja Öpik, Mohammad Bahram, Leho Tedersoo, Mikk Espenberg, John Alexander Davison, Kuno Kasak, Martin Maddison, Ülo Niinemets, Ivika Ostonen, Kaido Soosaar, Kristina Sohar, Martin Zobel, Ülo Mander
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-92891-z
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849344510366056448
author Jaan Pärn
Sandeep Thayamkottu
Maarja Öpik
Mohammad Bahram
Leho Tedersoo
Mikk Espenberg
John Alexander Davison
Kuno Kasak
Martin Maddison
Ülo Niinemets
Ivika Ostonen
Kaido Soosaar
Kristina Sohar
Martin Zobel
Ülo Mander
author_facet Jaan Pärn
Sandeep Thayamkottu
Maarja Öpik
Mohammad Bahram
Leho Tedersoo
Mikk Espenberg
John Alexander Davison
Kuno Kasak
Martin Maddison
Ülo Niinemets
Ivika Ostonen
Kaido Soosaar
Kristina Sohar
Martin Zobel
Ülo Mander
author_sort Jaan Pärn
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Earth’s climate is tightly connected to carbon and nitrogen exchange between the atmosphere and ecosystems. Wet peatland ecosystems take up carbon dioxide in plants and accumulate organic carbon in soil but release methane. Man-made drainage releases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide from peat soils. Carbon and nitrous gas exchange and their relationships with environmental conditions are poorly understood. Here, we show that open peatlands in both their wet and dry extremes are greenhouse gas sinks while peat carbon/nitrogen ratios are high and prokaryotic (bacterial and archaeal) abundances are low. Conversely, peatlands with moderate soil moisture levels emit carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, while prokaryotic abundances are high. The results challenge the current assumption of a uniform effect of drainage on greenhouse gas emissions and show that the peat microbiome of greenhouse-gas sources differs fundamentally from sinks.
format Article
id doaj-art-c2fc300f71df4c93b596cb5b9f8d5535
institution Kabale University
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-c2fc300f71df4c93b596cb5b9f8d55352025-08-20T03:42:39ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-03-011511910.1038/s41598-025-92891-zSoil moisture and microbiome explain greenhouse gas exchange in global peatlandsJaan Pärn0Sandeep Thayamkottu1Maarja Öpik2Mohammad Bahram3Leho Tedersoo4Mikk Espenberg5John Alexander Davison6Kuno Kasak7Martin Maddison8Ülo Niinemets9Ivika Ostonen10Kaido Soosaar11Kristina Sohar12Martin Zobel13Ülo Mander14Department of Geography, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of TartuDepartment of Geography, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of TartuDepartment of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of TartuDepartment of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesMycology and Microbiology Center, University of TartuDepartment of Geography, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of TartuDepartment of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of TartuDepartment of Geography, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of TartuDepartment of Geography, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of TartuInstitute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life SciencesDepartment of Geography, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of TartuDepartment of Geography, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of TartuDepartment of Geography, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of TartuDepartment of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of TartuDepartment of Geography, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of TartuAbstract Earth’s climate is tightly connected to carbon and nitrogen exchange between the atmosphere and ecosystems. Wet peatland ecosystems take up carbon dioxide in plants and accumulate organic carbon in soil but release methane. Man-made drainage releases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide from peat soils. Carbon and nitrous gas exchange and their relationships with environmental conditions are poorly understood. Here, we show that open peatlands in both their wet and dry extremes are greenhouse gas sinks while peat carbon/nitrogen ratios are high and prokaryotic (bacterial and archaeal) abundances are low. Conversely, peatlands with moderate soil moisture levels emit carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, while prokaryotic abundances are high. The results challenge the current assumption of a uniform effect of drainage on greenhouse gas emissions and show that the peat microbiome of greenhouse-gas sources differs fundamentally from sinks.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-92891-z
spellingShingle Jaan Pärn
Sandeep Thayamkottu
Maarja Öpik
Mohammad Bahram
Leho Tedersoo
Mikk Espenberg
John Alexander Davison
Kuno Kasak
Martin Maddison
Ülo Niinemets
Ivika Ostonen
Kaido Soosaar
Kristina Sohar
Martin Zobel
Ülo Mander
Soil moisture and microbiome explain greenhouse gas exchange in global peatlands
Scientific Reports
title Soil moisture and microbiome explain greenhouse gas exchange in global peatlands
title_full Soil moisture and microbiome explain greenhouse gas exchange in global peatlands
title_fullStr Soil moisture and microbiome explain greenhouse gas exchange in global peatlands
title_full_unstemmed Soil moisture and microbiome explain greenhouse gas exchange in global peatlands
title_short Soil moisture and microbiome explain greenhouse gas exchange in global peatlands
title_sort soil moisture and microbiome explain greenhouse gas exchange in global peatlands
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-92891-z
work_keys_str_mv AT jaanparn soilmoistureandmicrobiomeexplaingreenhousegasexchangeinglobalpeatlands
AT sandeepthayamkottu soilmoistureandmicrobiomeexplaingreenhousegasexchangeinglobalpeatlands
AT maarjaopik soilmoistureandmicrobiomeexplaingreenhousegasexchangeinglobalpeatlands
AT mohammadbahram soilmoistureandmicrobiomeexplaingreenhousegasexchangeinglobalpeatlands
AT lehotedersoo soilmoistureandmicrobiomeexplaingreenhousegasexchangeinglobalpeatlands
AT mikkespenberg soilmoistureandmicrobiomeexplaingreenhousegasexchangeinglobalpeatlands
AT johnalexanderdavison soilmoistureandmicrobiomeexplaingreenhousegasexchangeinglobalpeatlands
AT kunokasak soilmoistureandmicrobiomeexplaingreenhousegasexchangeinglobalpeatlands
AT martinmaddison soilmoistureandmicrobiomeexplaingreenhousegasexchangeinglobalpeatlands
AT uloniinemets soilmoistureandmicrobiomeexplaingreenhousegasexchangeinglobalpeatlands
AT ivikaostonen soilmoistureandmicrobiomeexplaingreenhousegasexchangeinglobalpeatlands
AT kaidosoosaar soilmoistureandmicrobiomeexplaingreenhousegasexchangeinglobalpeatlands
AT kristinasohar soilmoistureandmicrobiomeexplaingreenhousegasexchangeinglobalpeatlands
AT martinzobel soilmoistureandmicrobiomeexplaingreenhousegasexchangeinglobalpeatlands
AT ulomander soilmoistureandmicrobiomeexplaingreenhousegasexchangeinglobalpeatlands