July Irish peat soils - vital for the environment - are far more vast than we realised

New research has revealed that peat soils which are vital for locking away greenhouse gases are much more abundant than previously thought.

Data analysed by researchers now suggests that these soils cover 13% more of Ireland’s land mass than previous maps would have shown.

The new map includes areas of shallow peat soils, which, crucially also contain large stocks of soil carbon.

The maps are useful in land use planning - with peat soils being critical in absorbing greenhouse gases and helping to meet some of Ireland’s most pressing environmental challenges.

As recommended by the United Nations Global Peatlands Initiative, the research team from University of Galway, Trinity College Dublin and Queen’s University Belfast, included these shallow peat soils in the new peat map of Ireland. In doing so, they adopted a broader definition of peat soils by including soil material containing 8.6% of organic matter or more that has accumulated to at least 10 cm.

The research has been published in the journal Geoderma and can be read here.

Dr Terry Morley, University of Galway, one of the co-authors of the research article, said: “Peat soils are important because they help the country meet national and international targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and also play a major role in regulating stream flow, water quality, or providing habitat for ecologically sensitive species.”  

Dr Louis Gilet, Trinity College Dublin and lead author, said: “Our technique involves continually updating these peat soil maps as new data become available, and this new IPSM can now be used confidently and contribute to a more precise identification of the location of peat soils across Ireland.  

“The IPSM can thus help to accurately implement regulations concerning carbon-rich soils and climate change mitigation, while informing management decisions related to other key sustainability issues such as land use planning, biodiversity management or water regulation.” 

Historically, interest in peat soils primarily focused on economic productivity, via extraction, or conversion to agriculture or forestry, but in recent years there has been a growing appreciation of their role in regulating environmental processes as well as providing recreational, educational, scientific and cultural value.

Dr Raymond Flynn, Queen’s University Belfast, is also co-author of the research article, and he said: “This map changes our approach to mapping peat soils from the traditional approach concerned with agronomy to one where we can now more reliably focus on the role of peat and peat soils in environmental processes.” 

Dr John Connolly, Trinity College Dublin, geographer and one of the Global Peatlands Assessment authors, added: “Peatlands hold a significant percentage of Ireland’s total soil organic carbon stock, but they have been severely degraded over the past 200 years due to land use change and associated human activity, resulting in increased emissions from both deep and shallow peat. As a result, accurate identification, mapping and management of peat soils is essential for programmes that aim to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and to improve biodiversity in the Irish landscape.” 

This research is part of the RePEAT project, which is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

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