Editing Peat (section)

== Peatlands distribution ==
In a widely cited article, Joosten and Clarke (2002) described peatlands or mires (which they say are the same)<ref group="Notes">Supported by the "Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGIS) under the [https://www.wetlands.org/projects/GPI/default.htm Global Peatland Initiative] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120212051/http://www.wetlands.org/projects/GPI/default.htm|date=2008-11-20}}, managed by Wetlands International in co-operation with the [[IUCN]] – Netherlands Committee, Alterra, the International Mire Conservation Group and the International Peatland Society."</ref><ref name=Joosten_Clarke2002/> as:<blockquote>the most widespread of all wetland types in the world, representing 50 to 70% of global wetlands. They cover over {{convert|4|e6km2|e6sqmi |abbr=off |disp=sqbr}} or 3% of the land and freshwater surface of the planet. In these ecosystems are found one third of the world's soil carbon and 10% of global freshwater resources. These ecosystems are characterized by the unique ability to accumulate and store dead organic matter from Sphagnum and many other non-moss species, as peat, under conditions of almost permanent water saturation. Peatlands are adapted to the extreme conditions of high water and low oxygen content, of toxic elements and low availability of plant nutrients. Their water chemistry varies from alkaline to acidic. Peatlands occur on all continents, from the tropical to boreal and Arctic zones from sea level to high alpine conditions.</blockquote>
[[File:PEATMAP.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|PEATMAP is a GIS shapefile dataset that shows a distribution of peatlands that covers the entire world.]]
A more recent estimate from an improved global peatland map, PEATMAP,<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Xu |first1=Jiren |title=PEATMAP: Refining estimates of global peatland distribution based on a meta-analysis. |last2=Morris |first2=Paul J. |last3=Liu |first3=Junguo |last4=Holden |first4=Joseph |chapter=F840 |date=2017 |publisher=University of Leeds |doi=10.5518/252}}</ref> based on a meta-analysis of geospatial information at global, regional and national levels puts global coverage slightly higher than earlier peatland inventories at {{Convert|4.23|e6km2|e6mi2|abbr=off}} approximately 2.84% of the world land area.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Xu |first1=Jiren |last2=Morris |first2=Paul J. |last3=Liu |first3=Junguo |last4=Holden |first4=Joseph |name-list-style=and |date=2018 |title=PEATMAP: Refining estimates of global peatland distribution based on a meta-analysis |url=http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/194000/1/194000.pdf |journal=CATENA |language=en |volume=160 |pages=134–140 |bibcode=2018Caten.160..134X |doi=10.1016/j.catena.2017.09.010}}</ref> In Europe, peatlands extend to about {{cvt|515000|km2}}.<ref name="IUCNFull">[http://www.iucn-uk-peatlandprogramme.org/sites/all/files/IUCN%20UK%20Commission%20of%20Inquiry%20on%20Peatlands%20Full%20Report%20spv%20web.pdf IUCN UK Commission of Inquiry on Peatlands] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307180047/http://www.iucn-uk-peatlandprogramme.org/sites/all/files/IUCN%20UK%20Commission%20of%20Inquiry%20on%20Peatlands%20Full%20Report%20spv%20web.pdf |date=2014-03-07 }} Full Report, IUCN UK Peatland Programme October 2011</ref> About 60% of the world's [[wetland]]s are made of peat.

Peat deposits are found in many places around the world, including northern Europe and North America. The North American peat deposits are principally found in Canada and the Northern United States. Some of the world's largest peatlands include the [[West Siberian taiga|West Siberian Lowland]], the [[Hudson Bay Lowlands]] and the [[Mackenzie River]] Valley.<ref name="Fraser, L.H 2005">Fraser, L.H. Fraser and P.A. Keddy (eds.). 2005. The World's Largest Wetlands: Ecology and Conservation. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 488 p. and P.A. Keddy (eds.). 2005. The World's Largest Wetlands: Ecology and Conservation. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 488 p.</ref>
There is less peat in the Southern Hemisphere, in part because there is less land. The world's largest tropical peatland is located in Africa (the Democratic Republic of Congo).<ref>{{Cite web |title=CongoPeat - Past, Present & Future of the Peatlands of the Central Congo Basin |url=https://congopeat.net/ |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=CongoPeat |language=en-US}}</ref> In addition, the vast [[Magellanic subpolar forests#Flora|Magellanic Moorland]] in South America (Southern [[Patagonia]]/[[Tierra del Fuego]]) is an extensive peat-dominated landscape.<ref name="Fraser, L.H 2005"/> Peat can be found in [[New Zealand]], [[Kerguelen Islands|Kerguelen]], the [[Falkland Islands]] and [[Indonesia]] ([[Kalimantan]] [Sungai Putri, Danau Siawan, Sungai Tolak], Rasau Jaya ([[West Kalimantan]]) and [[Sumatra]]). Indonesia has more tropical peatlands and mangrove forests than any other nation on earth, but Indonesia is losing wetlands by {{convert|100000|ha}} per year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://waspada.co.id/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=193680:us-ri-discuss-future-of-peat-land-mangroves&catid=30:english-news&Itemid=101|title=Waspada Online|access-date=25 October 2015}}</ref> A catalog of the peat research collection at the University of Minnesota Duluth provides references to research on worldwide peat and peatlands.<ref>{{cite web | title=An Author Catalog of the Peat Research Collection at the University of Minnesota Duluth. |last=Sandy | first=John H. |date=31 October 2022 | url=https://ir.ua.edu/handle/123456789/9811 | access-date = 2023-10-29 }}</ref>

About 7% of all peatlands have been exploited for [[agriculture]] and [[forestry]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.volcanowoodfuels.co.uk/sitefiles/37/5/6/375680/WER_2013_6_Peat.pdf|title=World Energy Resources: Peat – World Energy Council 2013|website=Volcano Wood Fuels|publisher=World Energy Council|access-date=2016-02-25}}</ref> Under certain conditions, peat will turn into [[lignite]] coal over geologic periods of time.