Balancing
Food Security & Carbon
Sequestration
The complexities of cultivating
Sphagnum dominated peatlands
Introduction
Peatlands seen as a potential
agricultural assets pose complex risk
factors to global food security.
Sphagnum moss dominated peatlans
and their distinctive morphological
characteristics providing numerous
exceptional functions and place them
into the spotlight of envionmental
preservation and global food system.
Research Question
How to find balance between food and
climate sensitive decisions?
Judit Rita Keleti, Réka Döbröntey, Márta Fuchs, Tamás Szegi,
Barbara Simon, Caleb Melenya Ocansey, Erika Michéli.
Department of Soil Science,
Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő Hungary
Functions of Peatlands
3% of the Earth’s surface (400 million ha)
Major carbon sink
Global average dry biomass production is 260 g m-2 yr-1
14-20% of peatlands are used for agriculture
Drained peatland covers 0,5% of land surface but globally
contribute 5% of antropogenic GHG emissions
Sphagnum spp. (Sphagnum subgenus, Bryophita)
Morphology
genus Sphagnum, non-vascular plant group
spore-producing organisms, occurs in dense mats
slowly decomposing basal parts & green portion
3:1
Conditions
inhibition of decomposition
cold, anoxic (water-logged), acidic
Objective
1. Unique characteristics of Sphagnum moss
2. Dual role of cultivated peatlans
3. Positive& negative aspects of cultivation
4. Strategy for mitigation harm on Nature
The genus Sphagnum can dominate
large areas & change conditions
Balancing
Food Security & Carbon
Sequestration
The complexities of cultivating
Sphagnum dominated peatlands
Sphagnum farming
b)
a)
d)
Positive aspest
c)
SOM enrichment
Nutrient-holding capacity
Microbial activity
Promoting nutrient cycling & overall soil fertility
Crop productivity, food diversity
Water management &crop resilience
Local fiber production
e)
f)
g)
Negative aspect
Accelerated OM decomposition
GHG emission
Carbon loss
Unsustainability & degradation
Subsidence & land sinking
Conclusion
The cultivation of peatlands offers both
opportunities and risks to food security. While
peatlands can support diversified crop
production and provide fertile soils, the
negative impacts on carbon emissions,
ecosystem health, and land stability cannot be
ignored. A balanced approach, incorporating
sustainable cultivation practices and
conservation efforts, is crucial to ensure that
peatlands continue to play a role in food and
fiber production while safeguarding their vital
functions as carbon sinks and ecological
habitats.
a) Sphagnum gathering b) Surface levelling on former bog grassland
c) Surface levelling on cut-over bog d) Setting up Sphagnum farming site
e) Water management-electric pump f) WM-Drip irrigation g) Loading founder material
Strategy
Sustainable cultivation practices
rewetting drained peatlands
adopting agricultural techniques
minimize disturbance
Contact
2100 Gödöllő, Páter Károly u. 1.
keleti.judit.rita@uni-mate.hu
+36 28-522-000/2326
Balancing
Food Security & Carbon
Sequestration
The complexities of cultivating
Sphagnum dominated peatlands
What is your
strategy?
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