Carbon accumulation rate in a raised bog in Latvia, NE Europe, in relation to climate warming

The carbon accumulation rate (CAR) over the last 180 years was estimated by measuring carbon concentrations in 1-cm layers in a fine-resolution dated and analysed peat sequence in Teiči Bog, Latvia, NE Europe. We used the Granger causality test to examine the temporal (lagged) relationships between the CAR and the historical climate variables. Our results showed that the average CAR was 192 g C m–2 yr–1 during the last 180 years and 169 g C m–2 yr–1 when excluding the acrotelm where decomposition and the stock of carbon are still not in the balance. The Granger causality test showed significant positive temporal associations between the temperature and the CAR, indicating that the temperature is a likely driver of the CAR in the bog. The overall pattern of the CAR resembles the changes in other peat bogs of Europe and underlines that the bogs in NE Europe most likely accumulate more C with increasing temperatures – that should be considered when addressing the issues of CAR and CO2 emissions at local and regional climate and policy initiatives.