Biddulph, G.E., Bocko, Y.E., Bola, P. et al. (12 more authors) (Cover date: 2021-12-01) Current knowledge on the Cuvette Centrale peatland complex and future research directions. Bois et Forets des Tropiques, 350. pp. 3-14. ISSN 0006-579X
Abstract
La Cuvette centrale est le plus vaste complexe de tourbières tropicales au monde, qui s’étend sur environ 145 000 km 2 en République du Congo et en République démocratique du Congo. Ce complexe stocke environ 30,6 Pg C, soit l’équivalent de trois années d’émissions mondiales de dioxyde de carbone, et représente désormais le premier site Ramsar transnational. Malgré sa taille et son importance mondiale en tant que puits de carbone, les aspects clés de son écologie et de son histoire, notamment sa formation, l’ampleur des flux de gaz à effet de serre, sa biodiversité et l’histoire de l’activité humaine, demeurent relativement peu connus. Nous synthétisons ici les connaissances disponibles sur la Cuvette centrale, en identifiant des domaines clés pour la poursuite des recherches. Enfin, nous examinons le potentiel des modèles mathématiques pour évaluer les trajectoires futures des tourbières en termes d’impacts prévisibles de l’exploitation de ressources et du changement climatique.
The Cuvette Centrale is the largest tropical peatland complex in the world, covering approximately 145,000 km2 across the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It stores ca. 30.6 Pg C, the equivalent of three years of global carbon dioxide emissions and is now the first trans-national Ramsar site. Despite its size and importance as a global carbon store, relatively little is known about key aspects of its ecology and history, including its formation, the scale of greenhouse gas flows, its biodiversity and its history of human activity. Here, we synthesise available knowledge on the Cuvette Centrale, identifying key areas for further research. Finally, we review the potential of mathematical models to assess future trajectories for the peatlands in terms of the potential impacts of resource extraction or climate change.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © All rights reserved CIRAD - Bois et Forêts des Tropiques 2021. Articles are published Open Access. They are governed by Copyright and by the Creative Commons licenses. The license used is Attribution (CC BY 4.0). |
Keywords: | tourbière tropicale, stockage du carbone, émissions de gaz à effet de serre, paléoécologie, biodiversité, Anthropocène, République démocratique du Congo | tropical peatland, carbon storage, greenhouse gas emissions, palaeoecology, biodiversity, Anthropocene, Democratic Republic of Congo |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Geography (Leeds) The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Geography (Leeds) > Ecology & Global Change (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) NE/R016860/1 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 23 Oct 2024 11:34 |
Last Modified: | 23 Oct 2024 11:34 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | CIRAD (Centre de Cooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique Pour le Developpement) |
Identification Number: | 10.19182/bft2021.350.a36288 |
Sustainable Development Goals: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:218771 |