Electrochemical Properties of Peat Particulate Organic Matter on a Global Scale: Relation to Peat Chemistry and Degree of Decomposition

Abstract

Methane production in peatlands is controlled by the availability of electron acceptors for microbial respiration, including peat dissolved organic matter (DOM) and particulate organic matter (POM). Despite the much larger mass of POM in peat, knowledge on the ranges of its electron transfer capacities—electron accepting capacity (EAC), and electron donating capacity (EDC)—is scarce in comparison to DOM and humic and fulvic acids. Moreover, it is unclear how peat POM chemistry and decomposition relate to its EAC and EDC. To address these knowledge gaps, we compiled peat samples with varying carbon contents from mid to high latitude peatlands and analyzed their EACPOM and EDCPOM, element ratios, decomposition indicators, and relative amounts of molecular structures as derived from mid infrared spectra. Peat EACPOM and EDCPOM are smaller (per gram carbon) than EAC and EDC of DOM and terrestrial and aquatic humic and fulvic acids and are highly variable within and between sites. Both are small in highly decomposed peat, unless it has larger amounts of quinones and phenols. Element ratio-based models failed to predict EACPOM and EDCPOM, while mid infrared spectra-based models can predict peat EACPOM to a large extent, but not EDCPOM. We suggest a conceptual model that describes how vegetation chemistry and decomposition control polymeric phenol and quinone contents as drivers of peat EDCPOM and EACPOM. The conceptual model implies that we need mechanistic models or spatially resolved measurements to understand the variability in peat EDCPOM and EACPOM and thus its role in controlling methane formation.