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. Boreal peatlands represent a globally important store ofcarbon, and disturbances such as wildfire can have a negative feedback tothe climate. Understanding how carbon exchange and greenhouse gas (GHG)dynamics are impacted after a wildfire is important, especially as borealpeatlands may be vulnerable to changes in wildfire regime under a rapidlychanging climate. However, given this vulnerability, there is very little in theliterature on the impact such fires have on methane ( CH4 ) emissions.This study investigated the effect of wildfire on CH4 emissions at aboreal fen near Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, that was partially burned by theHorse River Wildfire in 2016. We measured CH4 emissions andenvironmental variables (2017–2018) and CH4 production potential (2018)in two different microform types (hummocks and hollows) across a peat burnseverity gradient (unburned (UB), moderately burned (MB), and severely burned(SB)). Results indicated a switch in the typical understanding of borealpeatland CH4 emissions. For example, emissions were significantly lowerin the MB and SB hollows in both years compared to UB hollows.Interestingly, across the burned sites, hummocks had higher fluxes in 2017than hollows at the MB and SB sites. We found typically higher emissions atthe UB site where the water table was close to the surface. However, at theburned sites, no relationship was found between CH4 emissions and watertable, even under similar hydrological conditions. There was alsosignificantly higher CH4 production potential from the UB site than theburned sites. The reduction in CH4 emissions and production in thehollows at burned sites highlights the sensitivity of hollows to fire,removing labile organic material for potential methanogenesis. Thepreviously demonstrated resistance of hummocks to fire also results inlimited impact on CH4 emissions and likely faster recovery to pre-firerates. Given the potential initial net cooling effect resulting from areduction in CH4 emissions, it is important that the radiative effectof all GHGs following wildfire across peatlands is taken into account.

Wildfire overrides hydrological controls on boreal peatland methane emissions