The Vital Role of Peatlands in the Earth System:Exploring the Past,Present and Future

Bio

Graeme Swindles is a environmental scientist specializing in peatland ecosystems and their role in climate change. He is professor of physical geography at Queen’s University Belfast and adjunct research professor at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. His research focuses on the dynamics of peatlands in the past, present, and future, with an emphasis on carbon storage, biodiversity, and hydrological functions. Swindles has made significant contributions to understanding how peatlands respond to climate variability, human activity, and environmental changes. His work spans several disciplines, including paleoclimatology, biogeochemistry, and ecology. He has authored numerous influential papers and is actively involved in promoting the conservation and sustainable management of these vital ecosystems globally.

Peatlands are essential ecosystems that play a crucial role in regulating the Earth’s climate and preserving biodiversity. Acting as powerful carbon sinks, they store more carbon than all the world’s forests combined, significantly contributing to global warming mitigation. Peatlands also regulate water flow, reduce flood risks, and improve water quality. Despite covering only 3% of the planet’s surface, they support diverse and unique species found nowhere else. However, human activities including drainage and agriculture are degrading peatlands, releasing stored carbon and intensifying climate change. My research explores key themes: 1) the critical state of European peatlands; 2) rapid permafrost peatland changes due to recent warming; 3) the emergence of new peatlands in warming climates; and 4) the looming “pollution bomb” from deteriorating peatlands.