Multi-source geospatial data and remote sensing provide new opportunities to monitor peatland condition, threatened plant species, greenhouse gas dynamics and water table fluctuations. Doctoral research by MSc Priscillia Christiani, a researcher at the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), demonstrates that combining environmental data with satellite imagery provides a more reliable picture of peatland condition and the impacts of restoration.
Peatlands are vital ecosystems that support biodiversity, regulate greenhouse gases and water resources, and contribute to climate change mitigation As peatland restoration expands in Finland and elsewhere, there is an increasing need for reliable and cost-effective methods to monitor its impacts over time.
"Peatlands are one of our most important tools against climate change, but in Finland, most of them have been altered by drainage. If we want restoration to work, we need to know not just where to restore, but whether it's actually working – and that's hard to do with fieldwork alone across such a vast and remote landscape," Christiani says.
The doctoral research investigated how geospatial data and remote sensing can be used to monitor peatlands at different spatial scales. Environmental datasets, satellite imagery and statistical modelling were combined to assess the potential distribution of threatened peatland plant species, greenhouse gas dynamics and water table conditions.
The findings show that multi-source geospatial data can effectively complement traditional field measurements and provide a more comprehensive understanding of restoration outcomes. The approach enables cost-effective monitoring across extensive peatland areas, including sites that are difficult to access in the field.
The research further demonstrates that the same geospatial and remote sensing approach can be applied across different peatland monitoring needs – from mapping potential habitats of threatened plant species under future climate and restoration scenarios, to detecting greenhouse gas dynamics, to tracking water table levels. This versatility makes the methods valuable tools for supporting future peatland management and restoration decisions.
The research provides new tools for assessing peatland restoration and monitoring biodiversity, greenhouse gas dynamics and hydrological conditions. The methods can support restoration planning, long-term monitoring and evidence-based decision-making in Finland and internationally.
"These methods aren't just academic exercises – they're built to be used. With the EU's restoration targets requiring long-term monitoring, tools like these can help decision-makers see where restoration is succeeding and where it still needs support," Christiani says.
MSc Priscillia Christiani will defend her doctoral thesis, Integrating multi-source geospatial data to monitor peatland red-listed plant species, greenhouse gas dynamics, and the water table, at the University of Oulu on 14 August 2026 at 12:00.
The public examination will be held in English in L10 OP Hall, University of Oulu (Pentti Kaiteran katu 1, Oulu, Finland).
Associate Professor Martin Karlson (Linköping University, Sweden) will serve as the opponent, and Associate Professor Aleksi Räsänen (University of Oulu) will act as the custos.
