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Ecological review reveals fire-dependence and high carbon density in subtropical peatlands, highlighting the need to revise fire suppression practices.
Shaped over millennia by fire and shifting biogeographical barriers, the subtropical peatlands of Australia’s eastern coast are among the most carbon-dense terrestrial ecosystems in the world. These are the only known peatlands that are ecologically dependent on fire, resulting from complex ecological interactions between geohydrology, vegetation, microbes and fauna. Following two centuries of fire suppression and ecosystem degradation, protecting peatland biodiversity and carbon storage requires improved knowledge for informed management.
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Smith et al. (2026) studied this question.
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