Wetland soils, including peatlands, harbour complex ecosystems that globally represent approximately 10% of the Earth’s land surface.
Until about a decade ago, lowland tropical peatlands were thought to be of minor importance in global terms, being overwhelmingly concentrated in SE Asia. However, extensive campaigns of remote sensing and fieldwork have shown in the past few years that lowland peatlands in fact occur very widely across the tropics, from the lowlands of Amazonia and the Congo to the high mountains of the Andes. Far from being anomalous, low-latitude peatlands now appear to be a significant part of a wider pattern.
This session aims to stimulate a new synthesis of our knowledge of key factors regulating the biogeochemistry of C, N and major and trace elements, ecological and microbial aspects, hydrology and distribution, with a focus on similarities and differences in peatland forms and functions across the tropics and beyond, drawing on insights from Mediterranean and temperate peatlands.