On the influence of peatland draining on local climate

• Main Authors: Venäläinen, A., Rontu, L., Solantie, R.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Boreal Environment Research Publishing Board 2024
• Subjects: Boreal Environment Research
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10138/578047

In no other country has the draining of peatland taken place to such a large extent as in Finland. According to earlier studies based on an analysis of observed temperatures, this draining has lowered the night-time minimum temperatures in heavily-drained regions. In the present study, we simulated the cooling effect using the HIRLAM numerical weather prediction model. When simulated wet and dry peat conditions were compared in a late summer clear and calm case leading to night frost, the drop in local night-time minimum temperatures reached ten degrees. The difference in temperature was caused mainly by the change in the soil heat flux.