Why drained peatlands differ across Europe: drivers, impacts and responses in a DPSIR-based literature review

Drainage-driven peatland degradation in Europe has led to widespread loss of peatland functions, including important regulating ecosystem services such as climate and water regulation. European peatlands have been formed, used and managed in different ways, resulting in contrasting land-use practices and rewetting policies between countries. In this study, we investigate the differences between European countries in why and how peatlands are drained, used and restored and how these differences influence current peatland management and restoration strategies. We conduct a structured scientific literature review for ten European countries using the DPSIR (Drivers-Pressures-State-Impacts-Responses) framework. Our results from abstract screening of over 200 publications across seven countries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom) indicate that peatland drainage is primarily driven by forestry (45%) and agriculture (40%), while peat extraction is less frequently identified as a driver (15%). Greenhouse gas emissions dominate the reported impacts of drainage (77%), whereas biodiversity loss and habitat degradation, and land subsidence are mentioned less frequently (16% and 14%, respectively). Reported responses are strongly skewed toward hydrological interventions such as rewetting (63%), with fewer studies emphasizing vegetation and biodiversity restoration (16%), land-use conversion (11%), or measures to improve water and soil quality (9%). Initial comparative analyses suggest that the relative emphasis on drivers, impacts and response strategies differ between countries, reflecting national peatland contexts and policy priorities. Although agriculture and forestry dominate as drivers, responses rarely address land-use systems directly, instead emphasizing hydrological interventions. Similarly, while biodiversity impacts are widely recognized, targeted ecological responses are seldom reported. Ongoing analysis will further explore country-specific DPSIR profiles and link dominant drivers and impacts to preferred restoration approaches. These insights are essential for targeted and appropriate restoration strategies to maximize the recovery of the regulating ecosystem services across European peatlands.