Priority research questions in global peatland science

Abstract Peatlands are among Earth’s largest terrestrial carbon stores and are crucial for climate regulation, biodiversity conservation, and water security. Yet peatlands worldwide are deteriorating under pressures from climate change and human disturbance. Strategic, globally coordinated research is urgently needed to protect, restore and manage peatlands so they can continue to deliver essential ecosystem services. To meet this challenge, here we present a global research prioritisation for peatland science, based on a two-stage online survey and expert voting exercise involving 467 participants from 54 countries. We identify 50 priority research questions spanning carbon dynamics, climate impacts, restoration and management, technological innovation, and community and policy engagement. These questions provide a community-informed agenda to guide peatland research over the next decade. Addressing them will help close critical knowledge gaps, strengthen evidence-based decision making, and support the role of peatlands in achieving global climate and biodiversity goals.

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Publication Details

Journal
Communications Earth & Environment
Published
2026-04-28
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03321-5
Primary Topic
Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Priority research questions in global peatland science

Sarah A. Finkelstein, Haruni Krisnawati, Emuobosa Akpo Orijemie, Frank Kansiime et al.
Communications Earth & Environment
Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
article

Priority research questions in global peatland science

Sarah A. Finkelstein, Haruni Krisnawati, Emuobosa Akpo Orijemie, Frank Kansiime, Linto Alappat, Richard D. Pancost, Mitsuru Osaki, Michelle Garneau, Johanna Menges, Amila S. Ratnayake, Rodney A. Chimner, Omar R. López, Chantal Kabonyi Nzabandora, Michel Bechtold, Yannick Beaudoin, Emma Duley, Andy J. Baird, Caroline Signori‐Müller, Massimo Lupascu, Franziska Tanneberger, Lulie Melling, Julie Loisel, Sakonvan Chawchai, Simon L. Lewis, Ritesh Kumar, Katarzyna Marcisz, Carole Helfter, Scott J. Davidson, Randall K. Kolka, Yuri Mazei, Tuula Larmola, Alice M. Milner, Fabiola Murgia-Flores, Monika Ruwaimana, Lera Miles, Nisa Novita, Samer Elshehawi, Florian Siegert, Ale×ander R. Cobb, Natalia Mazei, Line Rochefort, Luca Montanarella, Atte Korhola, Stephanie Batten, Samantha Grover, Thomas P. Roland, Graeme T. Swindles, Erin Glen, Crystal A. E. Ahiable, Shilpa Pandey, Alexander James, L J Cole, Michel Mbasi, Paola Alarcon-Prado, Patrick Scheel, Carol Kagaba Kairumba, Robert Marchant, Matthew Warren, S. Page, Patrick T. Moss, Minna Väliranta, Alison M. Hoyt, Zhao-Jun Bu, Mark S. Reed, Nicholas T. Girkin, Christian H. Quintana Zagaceta, Ingrid Espinoza León, Sri Parwati Murwani Budisusanti, Mariusz Lamentowicz, Dylan J. S. Oliver, Mariusz Bąk, Gerbrand Koren, Minh-Ky NGuyen, Piet-Louis Grundling, Michelle M. McKeown, Nichole Püschel Hoeneisen, Jean Jacques Bambuta Boole, Xianyu Huang, Kristell Hergoualc’h, Japheth Samuel, Kristiina Lång, Leonard O. Akwany, Hans Schutten, Angeles de la Peña, Merritt R. Turetsky, Gerard Imani, Mónica Maldonado-Fonken, John Connolly, Janet Coral Calvo Vargas, Angela Gallego-Sala, Gert Verstraeten, Colin J. Courtney-Mustaphi, Maria Strack, Bárbara Saavedra, Gusti Anshari, Juan C. Benavides, Josephine N. Handley, Efrén López-Blanco, Fred Stolle, Adriana B. Urciuolo
article en

Abstract

Abstract Peatlands are among Earth’s largest terrestrial carbon stores and are crucial for climate regulation, biodiversity conservation, and water security. Yet peatlands worldwide are deteriorating under pressures from climate change and human disturbance. Strategic, globally coordinated research is urgently needed to protect, restore and manage peatlands so they can continue to deliver essential ecosystem services. To meet this challenge, here we present a global research prioritisation for peatland science, based on a two-stage online survey and expert voting exercise involving 467 participants from 54 countries. We identify 50 priority research questions spanning carbon dynamics, climate impacts, restoration and management, technological innovation, and community and policy engagement. These questions provide a community-informed agenda to guide peatland research over the next decade. Addressing them will help close critical knowledge gaps, strengthen evidence-based decision making, and support the role of peatlands in achieving global climate and biodiversity goals.

Communications Earth & EnvironmentVol. 7(1)
Michigan Technological University (US), Tanjungpura University (ID), Queen's University Belfast (GB), Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (PA), Public Works and Government Services Canada (CA), Ministry of Public Health (CD), University of Leeds (GB), Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (ZA), US Forest Service (US), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (IT), World Resources Institute (US), University of Helsinki (FI), University of Nevada, Reno (US), University of Nottingham (GB), University of Waterloo (CA), University of Leicester (GB), Chulalongkorn University (TH), Université du Québec à Montréal (CA), Queensland University of Technology (AU), University of Freiburg (DE), UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (GB), The University of Queensland (AU), National University of Singapore (SG), Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México (MX), University of St Andrews (GB), Nanyang Technological University (SG), University of Bremen (DE), University of Ibadan (NG), Royal Holloway University of London (GB), Northeast Normal University (CN), University of Basel (CH), University of Toronto (CA), University of Colorado Boulder (US), Utrecht University (NL), Lomonosov Moscow State University (RU), United Nations Environment Programme (KE), Aarhus University (DK), Trinity College Dublin (IE), Hokkaido University (JP), Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (CO), University of Exeter (GB), University of Cambridge (GB), Mahidol University (TH), Scotland's Rural College (GB), University of the Free State (ZA), University College Cork (IE), Universitätsmedizin Greifswald (DE), Inter-American Institute (UY), Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research (NO), Natural Resources Institute Finland (FI), China University of Geosciences (CN), National University of Tierra del Fuego (AR), University of Bristol (GB), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (GB), Ministry of Health (UG), Freiwillige Akademische Gesellschaft (CH), Ministerio de Educación del Perú (PE), Center for Northern Studies (CA), Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (ZA), Atma Jaya University Yogyakarta (ID), Sacred Heart College (IN), Albury Wodonga Health (AU), Joint Research Centre (IT), Université Officielle de Bukavu (CD), Kementerian Kesehatan Republik Indonesia (ID), African Conservation Centre (KE), Institut Supérieur de Commerce de Kinshasa (CD), Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad (PE), Jacobs (United Kingdom) (GB), Moscow State University (TJ), Ministry of Education and Culture (ID), Universidad de Los Lagos (CL), Ministry of Water and Environment (UG), Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History (DE), University of Bergen (NO), University College London (GB), Uva Wellassa University (LK), University of York (GB), Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (PL), Université de Kisangani (CD), Makerere University (UG), Nong Lam University Ho Chi Minh City (VN), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE), RMIT University (AU), Sunway University (MY), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (MX), University of Plymouth (GB), Center for International Forestry Research (ID), Stanford University (US), KU Leuven (BE)
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Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
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