Exploring molecular methods of monitoring peatland function

Remote sensing is being increasingly explored as a method of peatland monitoring.1 The spectral properties on a temporal and/or spatial scale may provide insight into vegetation, hydrology and carbon balance dynamics that are integral to some of the essential ecosystem services that peatlands provide.2 However to fully utilise these methods an understanding of the processes at the ground (and below ground) level are required.

Many studies have focussed on biomass as the starting point for peat formation.3 This project will begin one step earlier and look at the point of photosynthesis and the subsequent carbon (C) allocation at the molecular level. This will be achieved by using isotope labelling of dominant sphagnum moss peat-forming species (including e.g.

Sphagnum capifollium,S. subnitens, S. fallax ) within Scottish peatlands.

Additionally, the colour form of the mosses will be investigated and the spectral signatures will be correlated over time with C allocation within the plant.4 Previous studies have linked plant spectral reflectance indices, such as NDVI, to ecosystem-scale plant productivity.5 However, many dominant Sphagnum mosses have brown or red colouration which complicates the use of standard plant 'greenness' indices for productivity monitoring.

This study will be able to delve deeper to determine the relationships between Sphagnum spectral signatures, and the fate and turnover of recently photosynthesised carbon in peatlands.

This will explore some of the direct metabolic processes in the Sphagnum and surrounding pore water at the molecular level using analytical techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS).