Mari Könönen

Breaking down is something that truly interests me. I am particularly interested in decomposition processes in peatlands, where multiple factors alone and as tandem control the decomposition processes. Yet, decomposition as a functional, interacting process is still not fully understood in peatlands. Why litter and organic matter decomposes, why some parts won’t decompose, and what controls the process? Additionally, peatland decomposition processes are globally meaningful because the dead plants that have accumulated and forms the deep peat layers storing vast amount of carbon. Human impacts peatland decomposition processes both through climate change and land use, which greatly define whether the carbon stays in peat or is released back to atmosphere. During the next four years at Luke, I will work on a project that aims to clarify how or whether shrubs effect on peat carbon balance. The presence and biomass of shrubs is increasing in Northern peatlands due to climate change and past drainage activities done in the 1960s for forestry especially in Finland. But no one really knows what the role of shrubs is in the peat carbon dynamics. The leading question is: Do shrubs protect or destroy the peat carbon stocks? Perhaps they do both or nothing, but either or these are the results that we crave to reach. The project is funded by the Academy of Finland (Decision number 3484319). While I am not thinking about breaking down or literally breaking down in front of too big research questions, I like to think about my dog whom I wish never to decompose.