wise use of mires and peatlands - Peatland Ecology Research Group

APPENDIX I193The other important aspect is the store ofcarbon, i.e. the carbon that is excluded fromshort-term (e.g. annual) carbon cycling.Stores are only important when their volumeschange. The increase of atmospheric CO 2inthe recent past is especially caused byburning the long-term carbon stores called“fossil fuels” (like coal, lignite, gas, and oil).The felling and burning of the tropicalrainforest increases carbon dioxideconcentrations in the atmosphere because ofthe mobilisation of the carbon stored in forestbiomass, not because plant productivitydecreases. The peatland carbon store can besubdivided into three compartments, whichmay all behave differently under differentmanagement options 8 :■ the carbon store in the biomass,■ the carbon store in the litter, and■ the carbon store in the peat.2.740 C-assimilation by photosynthesis840CAREXabove ground370below ground4701.900SPHAGNUM370LITTER1.8501.900890 (CO 2 -C)ACROTELM3101.540 (CO 2 -C)CATOTELM30 (CH 4 -C)280 C-sequestration in peatFigure A2/1 Carbon fluxes and carbon sequestration (10 3 g C ha -1 year -1 ) in a pristine bog(Pradeaux, French Central Massif, 1250 m over sea level NN) 9