New research suggests analysing how bogs ‘breathe’ from space could help identify depleted sites and guide restoration work.
The way bogs move, or breathe, can be influenced by many factors, including rainfall, water level, what vegetation grows there, the lie of the land and how it is managed.
Using satellites to measure this motion over time could help scientists assess the state of peatlands and the effectiveness of different repair techniques.
If developed on a national scale, the method could provide more accurate estimates of the amount, distribution, condition and associated carbon inventories of peatlands across Scotland, as well as a means of assessing the impact of investment in restoration.