Evaluating recent hydrological changes in Irish peatlands

Climate warming and human impacts are thought to be causing peatlands to dry, potentially converting them from sinks to sources of carbon. This project investigates recent hydrological changes in Irish peatlands over the last ~500 years. A combination of new testate amoebae-derived water-table reconstructions from well-dated sites and existing data are used to examine recent hydrological changes and their drivers in Irish peatlands in recent centuries. In addition, a peatland ecohydrological model will be used to determine the relative drivers of these hydrological changes.