# Ancient wetlands provide new insight into global carbon cycle - Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/02/ancient-wetlands-provide-new-insight-into-global-carbon-cycle/ - Published: 2019-02-27T01:00:27-05:00 - Author: greenlivingguy # University of Eastern Finland:Press release, 26 February 2019 Scientists have unearthed and pieced together evidence on more than 1,000 ancient wetland sites from across the globe, that are presently covered by fields, forests and [lakes](https://greenlivingguy.com/2011/10/epa-launches-new-website-to-protect-wetlands/). Although vanished from the Earth’s surface, these buried sites could explain some of the differences. Therefore, differences between global carbon cycle models and real-life observations. ### ![](https://i0.wp.com/greenlivingguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/pexels-photo-1622895.jpg?resize=780%2C571&quality=52&ssl=1 "pexels-photo-1622895 - The Green Living Guy") These were from places more noteworthy, such as cliffs, quarries, road construction, and scientific sampling. More importantly, they revealed carbon-rich wetland deposits. All the more interestingly, buried under other kinds of soils and sediments. Many wetlands are characterized by thick deposits. Deposits of undecomposed plant material( or peat). That’s which is often preserved. Thereby resulting in a record of wetland presence. So the buried wetlands frequently included coastal marshes. Marshes that had been flooded by [sea level](https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/12/understanding-climate-change-on-biodiversity-ecosystems/) rise. Also wetlands that had been buried by glaciers, flooding, or wind-deposited sediments. ## The researchers compiled the information about these buried wetland deposits, including where they were found, when they formed, and why they were buried. “We were really surprised when we started to combine our data from different sites around the world. What we thought would be only a few sites turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg. When we started to look for more examples from previous studies, we identified more than 1,000 buried wetland sites across the globe,” Dr** Claire Treat** from the [University of Eastern Finland](https://greenlivingguy.com/2020/06/italy-holds-a-leading-position-on-international-organic-markets/) says. The study was led by Dr Treat at the [University of Eastern Finland](https://www.helsinki.fi/en/news/life-sciences/ancient-wetlands-provide-new-insight-global-carbon-cycle) and by Dr **Thomas Kleinen** at the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology in Germany. ##### Buried Wetland Sites Buried wetland sites were found from high Arctic islands of Canada and Siberia. Then from tropical Africa and Indonesia, to Southern South America and New Zealand. Some formed less than 1,000 years ago, while others formed during the warm climate period between the two latest glaciations more than 100,000 years ago. Using these records of wetland presence since the beginning of the last interglacial, 130,000 years ago, the [researchers found that wetlands](https://greenlivingguy.com/2023/11/wetlands-avian-bird-flu-research-and-findings-explained/) in northern latitudes responded to changes in climate. Wetlands formed when the climate was warmer, and many wetlands were buried during periods of glacial advance and cooling temperatures. When it was cold, few new wetlands formed until the climate warmed again. Some of these buried peat sediments remain until today. These new findings of widespread buried peats suggest that, on the whole, peat burial can result in the slow transfer of carbon from the atmosphere to land, ultimately offsetting a [small part of climate warming](https://greenlivingguy.com/2005/05/global-warming-change-a-small-few-non-believers-say-no/) in the past. ![Wetlands broll master 1080p std Original](https://i0.wp.com/greenlivingguy.com/ wp-content/uploads/2018/10/wetlands-broll-master_1080p_std.original.jpg?resize=150% 2C84&quality=52&ssl=1 "wetlands-broll-master_1080p_std.original - The Green Living Guy") The fact that these peats are buried and stay on land is basically like a leak. It’s a leak in what we usually consider a closed system. A system of how carbon moves around the earth. That’s from the atmosphere to the land and oceans. Therefore, this new finding isn’t represented in their models of the global carbon cycle. Also and most interesting, may help to explain some behaviour that differs between models and observations. This came Dr Treat from the University of Eastern Finland. Finally, the results also suggest that present-day wetlands may continue to offset rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations as the climate warms if they remain undisturbed by drainage and [wildfires](https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/08/wildfire-smoke-swirls-over-russia/). ### In conclusion and for further information, please contact the following people. They are: In addition to Dr Claire Treat (Postdoctoral Researcher), University of Eastern Finland, [claire.treat@uef.fi](https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/02/ancient-wetlands-provide-new-insight-into-global-carbon-cycle/claire.treat@uef.fi)( English) As well as Dr Thomas Kleinen (Research Scientist), Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany [Thomas.kleinen@mpimet.mpg.de](https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/02/ancient-wetlands-provide-new-insight-into-global-carbon-cycle/Thomas.kleinen@mpimet.mpg.de)( English, German) Research article: Treat, C.C., T. Kleinen, N. Broothaerts, A.S. Dalton, R. Dommain, T.A. Douglas, J. Drexler, S.A. Finkelstein, G. Grosse, G. Hope, J. Hutchings, M.C. Jones, P. Kuhry, T. Lacourse, O. Lähteenoja, J. Loisel, B. Notebaert, R. Payne, D. Peteet, A.B.K. Sannel, J.M. Stelling, J. Strauss, G.T. Swindles, J. Talbot, C. Tarnocai, G. Verstraeten, C.J. Williams, Z. Xia, Z. Yu, M. Väliranta, H. Alexanderson, M. Hattestrand, V. Brovkin. Widespread global [peatland](https://greenlivingguy.com/2021/01/climate-change-impacting-co2-has-peatland-exchange-primarily-via-moisture-conditions/) establishment and persistence over the last 130,000 years. Proc. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. 10.1073/pnas.[1813305116](https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/02/ancient-wetlands-provide-new-insight-into-global-carbon-cycle/1813305116) ![author avatar](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/df91669667126e1290c21ee0342c386e2da19d588d4d9ca6560bd82ed59a9641? s=300&d=monsterid&r=g) greenlivingguy The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author, Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle by Seth Leitman # Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle by Carl Vogel # Green Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke # Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power System by Brian Clark Howard and Kevin Shea # and more green living books to follow. [See Full Bio](https://greenlivingguy.com/author/greenlivingguy/) [ ](https://greenlivingguy.com/author/greenlivingguy/)