@article{fdi:010086447,
  title = {{H}ydroclimatic vulnerability of peat carbon in the central {C}ongo {B}asin},
  author = {{G}arcin, {Y}annick and {S}chefuss, {E}. and {D}argie, {G}. {C}. and {H}awthorne, {D}. and {L}awson, {I}. {T}. and {S}ebag, {D}. and {B}iddulph, {G}. {E}. and {C}rezee, {B}. and {B}ocko, {Y}. {E}. and {I}fo, {S}. {A}. and {W}enina, {Y}. {E}. {M}. and {M}bemba, {M}. and {E}wango, {C}. {E}. {N}. and {E}mba, {O}. and {B}ola, {P}. and {T}abu, {J}. {K}. and {T}yrrell, {G}. and {Y}oung, {D}. {M}. and {G}assier, {G}. and {G}irkin, {N}. {T}. and {V}ane, {C}. {H}. and {A}datte, {T}. and {B}aird, {A}. {J}. and {B}oom, {A}. and {G}ulliver, {P}. and {M}orris, {P}. {J}. and {P}age, {S}. {E}. and {S}jogersten, {S}. and {L}ewis, {S}. {L}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he forested swamps of the central {C}ongo {B}asin store approximately 30 billion metric tonnes of carbon in peat(1,2). {L}ittle is known about the vulnerability of these carbon stocks. {H}ere we investigate this vulnerability using peat cores from a large interfluvial basin in the {R}epublic of the {C}ongo and palaeoenvironmental methods. {W}e find that peat accumulation began at least at 17,500 calibrated years before present (cal. yr bp; taken as ad 1950). {O}ur data show that the peat that accumulated between around 7,500 to around 2,000 cal. yr bp is much more decomposed compared with older and younger peat. {H}ydrogen isotopes of plant waxes indicate a drying trend, starting at approximately 5,000 cal. yr bp and culminating at approximately 2,000 cal. yr bp, coeval with a decline in dominant swamp forest taxa. {T}he data imply that the drying climate probably resulted in a regional drop in the water table, which triggered peat decomposition, including the loss of peat carbon accumulated prior to the onset of the drier conditions. {A}fter approximately 2,000 cal. yr bp, our data show that the drying trend ceased, hydrologic conditions stabilized and peat accumulation resumed. {T}his reversible accumulation-loss-accumulation pattern is consistent with other peat cores across the region, indicating that the carbon stocks of the central {C}ongo peatlands may lie close to a climatically driven drought threshold. {F}urther research should quantify the combination of peatland threshold behaviour and droughts driven by anthropogenic carbon emissions that may trigger this positive carbon cycle feedback in the {E}arth system.},
  keywords = {{CONGO} ; {CONGO} {CUVETTE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{N}ature},
  volume = {612},
  numero = {7939},
  pages = {277--+ [+ {C}orrection : 1 , vol. 612, p. {E}9]},
  ISSN = {0028-0836},
  year = {2022},
  DOI = {10.1038/s41586-022-05389-3},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010086447},
}