Open AccessA dynamic model of wetland extent and peat accumulation: results for the Holocene
Author(s) -
Thomas Kleinen,
Victor Brovkin,
R. J. Getzieh
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
biogeosciences discussions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1810-6285
DOI - 10.5194/bgd-8-4805-2011
Subject(s) - peat , anoxic waters , wetland , water table , environmental science , holocene , carbon cycle , hydrology (agriculture) , carbon fibers , soil science , physical geography , geology , ecosystem , ecology , geography , groundwater , oceanography , materials science , geotechnical engineering , composite number , composite material , biology
Substantial deposits of peat have accumulated since the last glacial. Since peat accumulation rates are rather low, this process was previously neglected in carbon cycle models. For assessments of the global carbon cycle on millennial or even longer timescales, though, the carbon storage in peat cannot be neglected any more. We have therefore developed a dynamic model of wetland extent and peat accumulation in order to assess the influence of peat accumulation on the global carbon cycle.
The model is based on the dynamic global vegetation model LPJ and consists of a wetland module and routines describing the accumulation and decay of peat. The wetland module, based on the TOPMODEL approach, determines wetland area and water table. Peatland area is given by the innundated area at the summer minimum water table position and changes dynamically, depending on climate. The peat module describes oxic and anoxic decomposition of organic matter in the acrotelm, i.e., the part of the peat column above the permanent water table, as well as anoxic decoposition in the catotelm, the peat below the summer minimum water table.
We apply the model to the period of the last 8000 yr, during which the model accumulates 210 ± 40 PgC as catotelm peat in the areas above 40° N
The model is based on the dynamic global vegetation model LPJ and consists of a wetland module and routines describing the accumulation and decay of peat. The wetland module, based on the TOPMODEL approach, determines wetland area and water table. Peatland area is given by the innundated area at the summer minimum water table position and changes dynamically, depending on climate. The peat module describes oxic and anoxic decomposition of organic matter in the acrotelm, i.e., the part of the peat column above the permanent water table, as well as anoxic decoposition in the catotelm, the peat below the summer minimum water table.
We apply the model to the period of the last 8000 yr, during which the model accumulates 210 ± 40 PgC as catotelm peat in the areas above 40° N