Peatlands store large amounts of carbon in the terrestrial ecosystem and
it seems that they would shift from being a carbon sink to a carbon
source due to recent warming. In this study, we provide a comprehensive
analysis of peatland carbon dynamics in distinct future climate
conditions. The study examined whether less pronounced warming could
further enhance the peatland carbon sink capacity and buffer the effects
of climate change. It also determined which trajectory peatland carbon
balance would follow, what the main drivers were, and which one would
dominate in the future. We found that peatlands could largely retain
their carbon sink capacity with reduced rates under the climate change
scenario RCP 2.6 to RCP 6.0. They are projected to shift from a carbon
sink to a carbon-neutral or a small carbon source in the strong warming
scenario RCP 8.5 by the end of this century.