Simulations of past climates combined with radiocarbon dates of peatland initiation suggest that initial peatland formation coincided with rapid growing season warming in formerly glaciated regions such as North America, northern Europe, and Patagonia, and with a marked increase in effective precipitation in nonglaciated Western Siberia, revealing the role of climate in forming globally important carbon sinks, with implications for possible future changes in peatland distribution, according to a study.
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Article #17-17838: "Global peatland initiation driven by regionally asynchronous warming," by Paul J. Morris et al.
MEDIA CONTACT: Paul J. Morris, University of Leeds, UNITED KINGDOM; tel: +44-1133439585; e-mail: < p.j.morris@leeds.ac.uk >
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences