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Simple equation predicts the shapes of carbon-capturing wetlands

To calculate the amount of carbon stored inside peatlands, researchers developed a unified theory of “bog physics” applicable around the world.

For decades, biologists have longed for equations in the mold of E= mc 2 or Newton’s law of gravity — simple, sweeping mathematical rules that unite realms of knowledge and provide profound insights into the hidden order that governs our world. Several groups are working to mathematically describe these ecosystems, including an effort from the University of Leeds called DigiBog, which simulates peat accumulation over decades or centuries and water-table dynamics over days or weeks. In a preprint under peer review at Earth System Dynamics, Large and colleagues reported a third bog model that attempts to capture not only hydrology but also the mechanical properties of peat as a material, such as how easily it deforms.

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