PEATMAP project
A prototype model for the study of peatland distribution, ecology and carbon dynamics in the Iberian Peninsula landscape mosaic
Why peatlands matter?
Peatlands are some of the most important terrestrial carbon sinks, providing major services for humankind: regulation services of climate and water quality, biodiversity support, matter and energy provision, and also cultural and recreational services. These ecosystems are especially vulnerable to the impacts of human and natural threats that do not favor the permanent presence of water, oligotrophy, and anoxia, namely drainage, land use and land cover changes, biological invasions, and climate change. Therefore, efforts must be made to map these landscape mosaics with peatlands and assess their current ecological status to acknowledge the stored carbon and in what conditions.
IBERIAN pENINSULA PEATLANDS: dISCOVERING CINDERELLAS
There is a knowledge gap about Iberian peatlands and swobs.
In this region, these ecosystems have been described as rare, or with low peat accumulation rates owing largely to dry and warm climate conditions in most of the Peninsula. This is further worsened by the “Cinderella Syndrome”, according to which they are misclassified as other ecosystems.
Although it is recognised that, in this latitude, peat deposits have less extension when comparing with the boreal latitudes (where extensive peatland’s landscapes exist), here these ecosystems harbor a higher flora variety.
In this region, these ecosystems have been described as rare, or with low peat accumulation rates owing largely to dry and warm climate conditions in most of the Peninsula. This is further worsened by the “Cinderella Syndrome”, according to which they are misclassified as other ecosystems.
Although it is recognised that, in this latitude, peat deposits have less extension when comparing with the boreal latitudes (where extensive peatland’s landscapes exist), here these ecosystems harbor a higher flora variety.
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Iberian peatlands are mainly known in northern mountain areas with high precipitation, but also in low-energy wetlands (e.g., river floodplains and estuaries and freshwater coastal lagoons).
Iberian peatlands are under various types of protection status (e.g., Protected Areas and Classified Areas), are considered habitats of Community interest under the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC, and central to achieving the carbon emission reduction targets of the Paris Agreement.
Iberian peatlands are under various types of protection status (e.g., Protected Areas and Classified Areas), are considered habitats of Community interest under the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC, and central to achieving the carbon emission reduction targets of the Paris Agreement.
mAIN GOALS
- Improve knowledge about the distribution of peatlands and swobs in the Iberian Peninsula and its accurate mapping
- Assess the ecological status of the ecosystems and the existing peat types
- Develop a ground-truthed peat-depth model across the Peninsula
- Present a peatland classification that mirrors the real diversity and uniqueness of Iberian peatlands as a key nature-based solution to combat climate change
TaSks
1. Modelling peatland distribution in the Iberian Peninsula
2. Assessing the past and present-day ecological status of Iberian peatlands: peatland macroscopic and microscopic analysis
2. Assessing the past and present-day ecological status of Iberian peatlands: peatland macroscopic and microscopic analysis
TEAM MEMBERS
Centre of Geographical Studies - Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning - University of Lisbon
César Capinha
Principal Investigator
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Ana Ceia-Hasse
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Miguel Geraldes
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Raquel Fernandes
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Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology (IBLE) -University of Greifswald
Hans Joosten
Co - PI
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Alexandra Barthelmes
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Forest Research Centre (CEF) of the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (School of Agriculture - ISA)
Nuno Cortez
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Biological Mission of Galicia (MBG stands for Misión Biológica de Galicia) of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
Jorge Durán Humia
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DREAMS-ULHT (DL-UL), Lusófona University
Anabela Cruces
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Cgeo - Centro de Geociências da Universidade de Coimbra (University of Coimbra) & DOUBLE-U-REPLAY
José Mateus
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Paula Queiroz
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NEWS
January, 2024: The PEATMAP project has officially started! The kick-off meeting was held on the 24th and was attended by the team members and consultants of the project.
January, 2024: The PEATMAP project has officially started! The kick-off meeting was held on the 24th and was attended by the team members and consultants of the project.
June, 2024: The PEATMAP project was divulged at the Biennial Meeting of the Venice Agreement 2024, in Torres Vedras, Portugal. The Venice Agreement is a self-initiated universal declaration created collectively in 2022 in the city of Venice to protect peatlands around the world on a local scale. This was an international initiative by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Chile, the nomadic research collective “Ensayos” and the Michael Succow Foundation, a partner in the Greifswald Peatland Centre (through the Sensing Peat Art & Research Network project), and co-produced by the Municipality of Torres Vedras, the Double-u Replay Association and the Centre for Geographical Studies of the Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning of the University of Lisbon (through the PEATMAP project, co-funded by the MIT Portugal program).
July, 2024: Our team carried out a field campaign to verify the presence or absence of peat in locations in Portugal and Spain. The sites to be visited were chosen based on prior knowledge of peat-producing plants (mire-typical indicators). During the campaign, the existence of water, peat and vegetation was checked and data on these elements was collected. This campaign made it possible to add new peatland and swob points to the database that the team is developing.
September, 2024: Miguel Geraldes disseminated the project in the Peatlands and Ecosystem Functions - international Peatland Science Conference (iPSC), on the Weihenstephan campus of the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (HSWT), Freising, Germany.
September, 2024: Miguel Geraldes disseminated the project in the Peatlands and Ecosystem Functions - international Peatland Science Conference (iPSC), on the Weihenstephan campus of the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (HSWT), Freising, Germany.
OUTPUTS
PRE PRINT
- Geraldes, M., Fernandes, R., Santos, M., & Capinha, C. (2025). Bioindicator-based mapping of peatland potential in the Western Mediterranean-Atlantic Realm. BioRxiv, 2025.03.21.644445. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.03.21.644445
- Fernandes, R., Geraldes, M., Chico, G., & Capinha, C. (2025). A geographical database of Iberian peatland and swob records. EcoEvoRxiv. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15412160
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Host institution
Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning | ULisboa Rua Branca Edmée Marques 1600-276 Lisboa, Portugal |
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