Most peatlands are groundwater-dependent ecosystems where interactions between aquifers, peat deposits, and surface waters determine their structure, functioning, and resilience. The role of groundwater and subsurface dynamics across the full peat column is fundamental for understanding ecosystem processes and services of the peatlands.
Groundwater levels and fluxes regulate the redox environment, nutrient and solute transport, and the vertical distribution of carbon cycling processes. They control peat accumulation and degradation, influence greenhouse gas emissions, and shape the capacity of peatlands to buffer floods and droughts. Bedrock-, aquifer–peatland interactions, subsurface heterogeneity, and vertical gradients within peat profiles critically affect how peatlands respond to climate variability, human influences, and restoration measures.
This session invites contributions that advance our understanding of groundwater processes in peatlands and their role in ecosystem functioning, across scales from pore structure to catchments to continental scale. We particularly welcome studies that look beyond the topmost active layer and consider the entire peat profile as well as aquifer–peatland interactions. Topics include, but are not limited to:
1. Novel field datasets on peatland/groundwater levels and dynamics
2. Process-based and data-driven modelling of groundwater dynamics and solute transport
3. Aquifer–peatland interactions and implications for biogeochemistry and carbon cycling
4. Geophysical and geotechnical investigations of peat structure and hydrogeology
5. Aquifer–peatland connectivity in terms of water and nutrient fluxes
6. Impacts of land use, groundwater abstraction and climate change on groundwater-driven peatland functioning
7. Approaches to integrate groundwater into peatland restoration and management strategies