News

Peatlands in British Columbia

Carbon Giants hidden below Rainforests

10/04/2026  Old-growth rainforests are famous for their massive carbon stocks – but what about the peatlands hidden within these rainforest ecosystems? A new study by researchers from the Greifswald Moor Centrum now provides valuable insights from the peatlands of the temperate rainforests of Canada’s Pacific coast.

As part of an expedition, Hanna Rae Martens and Jürgen Kreyling, together with the organization Wilderness International, investigated protected areas in British Columbia. The aim was to analyse the distribution of peatlands and their contribution to carbon storage within these rainforest landscapes.

The newly published results show that although peatlands cover only around five percent of the studied region – likely an underestimate – they store about 20 percent of the total carbon in these ecosystems. This means they make a disproportionately large contribution to climate mitigation.

The study highlights the importance of these previously overlooked ecosystems and opens up new perspectives for research and conservation. Further studies will aim to better quantify the carbon storage potential of these peatlands.

The publication is available at: DOI 10.1038/s41598-026-44791-z