The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is inviting applications to join a scoping group that will develop the science case for a potential strategic research programme on enhancing resilience of UK peatlands.
This is one of two potential strategic programme areas (SPAs) which have emerged from the ideas process for strategic research - NERC is the leading funder of independent research, training and innovation in environmental science in the UK.
Peatlands are one of the most spatially-intensive stores of carbon on land, covering around 3 per cent of the global land area whilst storing one-third of global soil carbon. Within the UK, extensive drainage and cultivation of peatlands for agriculture and forestry production have reversed the naturally-occurring carbon (ie peat) accumulation processes. This has resulted in release of carbon back into the atmosphere, acting against climate change mitigation efforts.
Over 80% of UK peatlands no longer in near natural state
Over 80% of UK peatlands are no longer in a near natural state and some are highly degraded. As a result, peatlands are now by far the largest single source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the UK land-use sector.
Their degradation has also been linked to significant changes in water quality, land subsidence, flood risk, and biodiversity loss. This pattern is now being repeated globally with estimates that, whilst drained and degrading peatlands occupy only 0·3 per cent of global land area, they contribute six per cent of all global anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions.
The high level objective of this SPA is to provide a step change in understanding peatland functioning and services to enable resilient management and mitigate disturbances from environmental change.
The SPA is seeking a transformation in knowledge on how human land use is currently altering peatland ecosystem processes, and how land use practices can be adapted to protect and restore the important ecosystem functions and services associated with peatlands.
The step change in conceptual understanding will also have global relevance for developing more sustainable land use practices that work with natural processes. New practices will be essential to achieve climate change mitigation targets and meet growing demands for food, water and biodiversity related services.
Key scientific questions to be addressed by the scoping group are:
- What are the main influences on peatland formation and degradation processes?
- How can we establish peatland resilience during land use to secure the provision of GHG mitigation processes and wider ecosystem services?
NERC is now inviting applications from individuals wishing to join the scoping group that will develop the science case for consideration by NERC.
Professor Lisa Belyea of the Queen Mary University of London has agreed to chair the scoping group. The composition of the group will be decided by NERC with input from the chair of the scoping group and a representative of NERC's Strategic Programme Advisory Group (SPAG).
The group will be tasked with producing a science case by the end of June 2017.
If the proposed research programme is approved, members of the scoping group will be able to apply for funding, subject to normal NERC eligibility rules.
Deadline to submit applications to join the scoping group is 23rd March 2017. Successful applicants will be informed of the outcome by 4 April 2017.
Click here to download the application form.
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