The impacts of access infrastructure on temperate and boreal peatlands.

ABSTRACT: Peatlands, ecosystems rich in organic matter, serve as substantial global carbon sinks and provide numerous ecosystem services. However, they face significant anthropogenic threats, including the construction and use of linear features such as roads, tracks, trails, and footpaths. This systematic review investigates the impacts of these linear features on temperate and boreal peatlands by analysing 81 primary research articles sourced from the Web of Science and Scopus databases, from an initial return of 831 articles. The findings reveal that 73 articles reported significant impacts, predominantly negative, on peatland features and processes in 5 broad categories: soil, vegetation, hydrology, wildlife, and fire dynamics. This includes soil compaction and erosion, plant community change th

SUBMITTER: Booth SW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12739162 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature