Tropical peatlands. They are wetland ecosystems formed by the accumulation of partially decomposed plant material in their soils, known as peat. This material accumulates over hundreds to thousands of years in areas with soils that are often saturated with water, and they are very important reservoirs of organic matter for the world, sequestering and retaining carbon for hundreds and thousands of years.
Despite their importance, tropical peatlands are recent discoveries in Latin America and Africa (although they have existed for thousands of years) and face many unknowns and various threats that jeopardize their existence and role in the planet’s climate health:
Despite several positive advances, the mapping and exact location of peatlands, their areas of influence, or uses are still poorly verified (less than 1% of projections have been measured in the field), hundreds of local communities do not know whether their lands contain peat deposits or their extent, and access to peatland maps is restricted to experts.
Also, because they are not mapped in detail, many peatlands have not yet been assessed for their rates of organic matter accumulation or loss, or the dynamics of gases such as CO2 and CH4 (key greenhouse gases), or their diversity of flora and fauna, including microbes responsible for decomposing (or not) organic matter. Not only is there a high diversity in the composition and characteristics of peatlands that remains to be understood, but there is also a significant lack of understanding of the value and uses of peatlands in local and native communities, as the knowledge base is still developing.
Threats to tropical pipelines are varied, significant, and depend on the regional context in which they are located. Mining and fires (both occurring in tropical areas) cause the most significant degradation, but deforestation and drainage are the most widespread regionally and globally.
Illegal alluvial gold mining: destroys tropical forests and peatlands at the most destructive level known, where, in the search for gold, vegetation and soil are completely removed, without the capacity for restoration, and therefore the annihilation of peatlands.
Peat fires, particularly in times of drought or in drained peatlands, are frequent and cause a greater loss of soil structure, resulting in the loss of peat content equivalent to hundreds of years converted to CO2, as well as a reduction in the capacity to accumulate peat, leading to slower and more complex restoration.
Peatland deforestation: affected by indiscriminate logging for agriculture, particularly palm oil cultivation, and cattle ranching, has caused massive destruction of peatlands. Harvesting fruit through the felling of palm trees leads to deforestation and a gradual imbalance in ecosystem productivity. Reforestation methods are possible in response to the level of degradation, although standard methodologies are not yet available.
Las contribuciones de las turberas tropicales, su uso y gestión, y su conservación, en apoyo de su papel global en la reducción de las emisiones de CO 2 a la atmósfera, requieren una estrecha comprensión y colaboración entre científicos, comunidades y gobiernos locales, así como la interacción con instituciones académicas internacionales, fuerzas del mercado, cooperación e instrumentos de gobernanza global.
La alianza ASETT incluye las siguientes actividades principales:
Understanding and conserving tropical peatlands is a task that requires the collaboration of everyone. Here are some ways you can help:
Las contribuciones de las turberas tropicales, su uso y gestión, y su conservación en apoyo de su papel global en la reducción de las emisiones de CO 2 a la atmósfera requieren una estrecha comprensión y colaboración entre científicos, comunidades y gobiernos locales, así como la interacción con instituciones académicas internacionales, fuerzas del mercado, cooperación e instrumentos de gobernanza global.
La alianza ASETT incluye las siguientes actividades principales:
