What, when, who and how? A review of peatland research in Amazonia

Amazonia is believed to harbour the world’s most extensive tropical peatlands, storing significant amounts of carbon and having high value for biodiversity conservation, climate regulation and human welfare. However, a comprehensive assessment is hampered by fragmentary knowledge of the locations of peat-covered areas and this, in turn, prevents their protection and restoration in the face of ongoing anthropogenic destruction. The study reported here reviewed research activities on peatlands in Amazonia, which started with ecological studies in the 1950s. We found a broad and significant thematic increase since 2009, with growing focus first on carbon accumulation and greenhouse gas fluxes then, after 2017, on degradation and conservation, along with a spatial imbalance in favour of the Peruvian lowlands. Hitherto, very little scientific attention has been directed towards the peatlands of western Brazil, the Bolivian lowlands and the Guianas. Most research in Amazonia has been conducted by international institutions with, in recent times, increasing contributions from local institutes and research groups. Nevertheless, research on Amazonian peatlands is still in its early stages, and several scientific questions remain unanswered. Advancing the knowledge base with respect to various scientific disciplines (e.g., ecology, biology, geography, social sciences and economics) is, therefore, essential for understanding how and where peatlands developed, how they are used, which ecosystem services they provide, how climate change will affect them and, finally, what would be the most appropriate conservation, restoration and sustainable use strategies for safeguarding the wellbeing of both peatlands and people.