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This study estimates the complete carbon budget of an 11.4 km 2 peat-covered catchment in Northern England. The budget considers both fluvial and gaseous carbon fluxes and includes estimates of particulate organic carbon (POC); dissolved organic carbon (DOC); excess dissolved CO 2 ; release of methane (CH 4 ); net ecosystem respiration of CO 2 ; and uptake of CO 2 by primary productivity. All components except CH 4 were measured directly in the catchment and annual carbon budgets were calculated for the catchment between 1993 and 2005 using both extrapolation and interpolation methods. The study shows that: Over the 13 year study period the total carbon balance varied between a net sink of − 20 to − 91 Mg C/km 2 /yr. The biggest component of this budget is the uptake of carbon by primary productivity (− 178 Mg C/km 2 /yr) and in most years the second largest component is the loss of DOC from the peat profile (+39 Mg C/km 2 /yr). Direct exchanges of C with the atmosphere average − 89 Mg C/km 2 /yr in the catchment. Extrapolating the general findings of the carbon budget across all UK peatlands results in an approximate carbon balance of − 1.2 Tg C/ yr (±0.4 Pg C/yr) which is larger than previously reported values. Carbon budgets should always be reported with a clear statement of the techniques used and errors involved as this is significant when comparing results across studies.

Peatlands are among the largest long-term soil carbon stores, but their degradation can lead to significant carbon losses. This study considers the carbon budget of peat-covered sites after restoration, following degradation by past wildfires. The study measured the carbon budget of eight sites: four restored-revegetated sites, two unrestored bare soil control sites, and two intact vegetated controls over two years (2006)(2007)(2008). The study considered the following flux pathways: dissolved organic carbon (DOC); particulate organic carbon (POC); dissolved carbon dioxide (CO 2 ); primary productivity; net ecosystem respiration, and methane (CH 4 ). The study shows that unrestored, bare peat sites can have significant carbon losses as high as 522 ± 3 tonnes C/km 2 /yr. Most sites showed improved carbon budgets (decreased source and/or increased sink of carbon) after restoration; this improvement was mainly in the form of a reduction in the size of the net carbon source, but for one restored site the measured carbon budget after four years of restoration was greater than observed for vegetated controls. The carbon sequestration benefit of peatland restoration would range between 122 and 833 tonnes C/km 2 /yr.

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This study aimed to measure the effects of ecological restoration on blanket peat water in and around the gullies investigated whereas a blocked gully has water table depths comparable to a naturally revegetating gully. A 10 cm lowering in water table depth decreases the probability of observing a net CO2 sink, on a given site, by up to 30 %. The most i mportant conclusion of this research was that restoration interventions are effective at increasing the likelihood of net CO2 sink behaviour and raising water tables on degraded, climatically marginal blanket bog.