Digging into Minnesota's peat, an underappreciated climate superhero
Peatlands cover only about 3% of the Earth’s surface (nearly 10% of Minnesota’s acreage), but they store about 30% of the Earth’s soil carbon.
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Peatlands cover only about 3% of the Earth’s surface (nearly 10% of Minnesota’s acreage), but they store about 30% of the Earth’s soil carbon.
In the Marcell Experimental Forest in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, there are no trails for hiking, grounds for camping nor lakes for boating. Instead, there are temperature-manipulating chambers and field laboratories. Marcell was chosen to study because of its peatlands, a unique landscape that occupies just 3% of the earth’s surface, yet stores 30% of soil carbon.
Researchers come to the forest to study how different degrees of global warming might impact the world's northern forests.