Paludiculture on rewetted peatlands

What if agriculture adapts to wet peatlands?

The fundamental change represented by paludiculture is simple but profound. Instead of lowering the water table to adapt the peatland to conventional agriculture, land use is adapted to the wet conditions needed to conserve the peat.

This alternative land use is particularly relevant given the long history of agriculture in the Dutch peat meadow areas: paludiculture allows rewetted peatlands to continue producing food, fibre and energy while maintaining much higher water levels.

Now looking at the rest of the graphical abstract as well, we can see that the authors make a distinction between high- versus low-intensity paludiculture. In low-intensity paludiculture, farmers largely use what grows after the land has been rewetted. Vegetation such as grasses, sedges or reeds may establish naturally and can then be grazed or harvested. Water levels, nutrients and vegetation are managed relatively little. In high-intensity paludiculture, crops are deliberately established and managed. Farmers may actively control water levels, nutrients and vegetation to achieve agricultural production.

Now examine the lower part of the graphical abstract. What happens to biomass/food production, greenhouse gas emissions, land subsidence, nutrient release and biodiversity as we move from drained agriculture towards wetter and less intensive systems, and ultimately towards natural mires?

Keeping peat wet can reduce peat oxidation and thereby reduce CO₂ emissions and land subsidence. Rewetting also changes nutrient cycling and may improve water and nutrient retention, while wetter conditions can provide habitat for wetland species. At the same time, paludiculture allows the land to remain productive. The graphical abstract therefore illustrates an important point: different land-use options provide different combinations of production and environmental benefits.

In summary, the graphical abstract shows that paludiculture is not only about preserving peat. It is about reducing the environmental impacts of drained peatland use while maintaining productive land use.