What happens when nature’s recycling system slows almost to a stop?

In this episode of The Climate Translation, Dr. Mac explores the hidden science of peatlands, the waterlogged landscapes where dead plants can remain only partially decomposed for thousands of years. Listeners will learn how oxygen, microbes, moss, and water interact to create peat, preserving ancient pollen, wildfire records, and clues about climates that existed long before modern instruments.

The episode also examines what happens when peatlands are drained. As oxygen returns, decomposition accelerates, stored carbon is released, the land begins to shrink, and the risks of fire, flooding, and water-quality problems can increase.

CC0 Music from Charles Korpics - I want to Live! (Again)