| A |
| Aapa mire |
Minerotrophic, sloping, and patterned mire |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Abiotic |
Non-biotic (see biotic). |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Acrotelm |
Upper layer of a living raised bog, consisting of the vegetation and the uppermost peat, which through its distinct vertical gradient in hydraulic conductivity and large water storage capacity stabilizes the water level. |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Acrotelm mire |
A mire in which an acrotelm enables peat accumulation. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Aerobic |
Having or containing oxygen. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Active or peat forming |
According to the Interpretation Manual of the Habitats Directive, the term Active is taken to mean still supporting a significant area of vegetation that is normally peat forming. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Active peatland |
Peatland on which peat is currently forming and accumulating. All active peatlands (mires) are peatlands but peatlands that are no longer accumulating peat would no longer be considered mires. |
Pschenyckyj et al, 2021 |
| Actor |
Entities with agency, i.e. the ability to choose or decide; they include people, communities, firms, other organizations, and states, but also some nonhuman organisms and their assemblages. |
Harley and Clark, 2023 |
| Afforestation |
Establishing new forests on un-forested land. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Agricultural peat soils |
Areas of peatland used for agriculture such as livestock or crop production. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Air quality |
Air quality is a measure of how polluted the air is. A range of air pollutants is emitted when peat is used as a fuel for electricity generation or for home heating, including fine particulate matter which can penetrate deep into the lungs and airways with direct impacts on human health. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Ammonia |
A pungent colorless gaseous alkaline compound of nitrogen and hydrogen that is very soluble in water and can easily be condensed to a liquid by cold and pressure. |
Merriam Webster, 2024 |
| Anaerobic |
The absence of oxygen. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Annex I habitat types |
Natural and semi-natural habitats listed in Annex I of the Habitats Directive as being of Community interest and requiring designation of Special Areas of Conservation. Multiple peatland and mire habitat types are included in Annex I. |
|
| Anoxic |
Oxygen-free |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Anthropogenic |
Resulting from or produced by human activities. |
IPCC, 2023 |
| B |
| Biodiversity |
A general term used to describe all aspects of biological diversity including the number of species present in a given environment, the genetic diversity present within a species and the number of different ecosystems present within a given environment. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Biogeographic |
Dealing with geographic distibutional patterns of flora and fauna. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Biotic |
Pertaining to life. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Blanket Bog |
Bog which forms a blanket-like layer over the underlying mineral soil. |
PHI, 2024 |
| Bog |
Peatland of which the upper peat layers are derived from vegetation that was only supplied with water and nutrients by precipitation. |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Boreal |
Biogeographical zone between the temperate and the subarctic. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Bryophytes |
Mosses, liverworts and hornworts. Bryophytes reproduce from spores held in capsules, rather than seeds formed by flowers. Peatlands are home to a diversity of bryophytes, and bryophytes are important in the ecological functioning of peatlands. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| C |
| Carbon |
A non-metallic chemical element with atomic number 6 that readily forms compounds with many other elements and is a constituent of organic compounds in all known living tissues. |
Merriam Webster, 2024 |
| Carbon balance |
The sum of the amount of carbon taken up the growing peatland (i.e. the growth of the plants and the accumulation of the peat) and the amount of carbon removed from the peatland (i.e. gaseous losses (CO2 and CH4 emissions), dissolved C losses and losses due to human activities, such as turf cutting, fire, etc.). |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Carbon dioxide |
A gas made up of one atom of carbon and two atoms of oxygen which is produced whenever carbon-based fuels are burned (or oxidised more slowly in plants and animals). Abbreviated as CO2. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Carbon Flux |
The rate of flow of carbon, across a given area; the amount of this crossing a given area in a given time. |
IPCC, 2019 |
| Carbon Sequestration |
The capture and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), for example, in peat bogs. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Carbon Sink |
Any process, activity or mechanism which removes a greenhouse gas (GHG), an aerosol, or a precursor of a GHG from the atmosphere. Notation in the final stages of reporting is the negative (-) sign. |
IPCC, 2019 |
| Carbon Source |
Any process or activity which releases a greenhouse gas (GHG), an aerosol or a precursor of a GHG into the atmosphere. Notation in the final stages of reporting is the positive (+) sign. |
IPCC, 2019 |
| Catchment |
The geographical area draining into a river or reservoir. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Catotelm |
Permanently water-saturated peat layer of relatively low hydraulic conductivity with a low rate of decay. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Community |
There is no all-encompassing definition of community, but two main types of communities are described: interest communities and geographic communities both of which share social interactions and may have shared values or shared locations. Also described as multidimensional, cross-scale, social-political units or networks changing through time. The Earth Charter refers to the 'community of life' which includes both human and non-human communities. |
Berkes, 2004; Earth Charter, 2000; PHI, 2024 |
| Conservation |
All deliberate actions that protect the environment and natural resources (including biodiversity). |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Cultural ecosystem services |
One of four key categories identified in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment along with provisioning, regulating and supporting services. Generally described as the benefits, both material and non-material, that people gain from being in environments such as peatlands. These interactions give rise to a variety of wellbeing benefits that can be valued in various ways. |
Pschenyckyj et al, 2021 |
| Cutaway peatland (industrial) |
Where peat is being or has been extracted by industrial means. Peat extraction is the term used to refer to peat production, peat mining or peat extraction. (Peat production is the term widely used in Ireland within the industry and is defined as the overall management or the processes and methods used to produce peat for commercial operations.) |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Cutover |
Areas of bog that have been previously cut (by hand or by mechanical means), although not down to the marl layer or bedrock. Remaining peat may still be an economic reserve. Cutover areas are normally a mosaic of cut areas, face banks, pools, drainage ditches, uncut areas of peat, scrub, grassland etc. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| D |
| Dam |
An artificial structure that is barrier used to hold back water. |
IPCC, 2019 |
| Deep drained |
Where the annual water table remains on average -30 cm or deeper below the ground level. |
Renou-Wilson et al, 2022 |
| Deforestation |
Cutting most or all of the trees in a forested area. Deforestation contributes to warming by releasing carbon dioxide, changing the albedo (amount of sunlight reflected from the surface) and reducing the amount of carbon dioxide taken out of the atmosphere by trees. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Degraded |
Lowered/altered in quality as compared to the original condition. |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Denitrification |
The process by which nitrates or nitrites are reduced to nitrogencontaining gases, as by bacterial action on soil. |
|
| Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) |
Organic carbon remaining in solution after filtering the sample, typically using a 0.45 micrometer filter. When peat is degraded, DOC is leached into the water, which can impact water quality and have ecological impacts on ecosystem health, as well as result in costs for water treatment. |
IPCC, 2019; Pschenyckyj et al, 2021 |
| Disturbance |
A discrete event, either natural or human induced, which causes a change in the existing condition of an ecological system. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Dry deposition |
Deposition of atmospheric pollutants through direct contact with plant surfaces. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| E |
| Ecohydrology |
The sub-discipline of scientific study shared by ecology and hydrology. Investigates the effects of hydrological processes on the distribution, structure, and function of ecosystems, and on the effects of biotic processes on elements of the water cycle. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Ecological restoration |
The process of assisting the recovery of a degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystem. |
Gann et al., 2019 |
| Ecology |
The study of the interactions between organisms, and their physical, chemical and biological environment. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Ecosystem |
A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Ecosystem services |
Benefits that people obtain from ecosystems. |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Ecotope |
The smallest ecologically distinct landscape features in a landscape. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Eutrophication |
Rich levels of nutrients and minerals |
Wiktionary 2026 |
| Eutrophication |
Over-enrichment of minerals and nutrients in a body of water, leading to excess algae growth and depletion of dissolved oxygen. |
Pschenyckyj et al, 2021 |
| F |
| Favourable Conservation Status (FCS) |
A composite assessment of a habitat's range, area, structure, function, and the status of its typical species. Achieving FCS is the legal goal of conservation management under the Habitats Directive. |
|
| Favourable Reference Area (FRA) |
|
|
| Fen |
Peatland of which the uppermost peat layers are derived from vegetation that also received water that has been in contact with mineral soil or bedrock (cf. bog). |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Floodplain |
The area of land directly adjacent to a river which experiences flooding during periods of high discharge, and is made up of deposited sediments from a river during a flood. |
https://thefloodhub.co.uk/glossary |
| Forest |
Land under trees with a minimum area of 0.1 ha and tree crown cover of more than 20% of the total area, or the potential to achieve this cover at maturity. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Forestry on peat |
Forests located on either shallow or deeper peat soils. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| G |
| Geomorphology |
The science of form of the earth’s surface, including structure and development. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Global Warming |
The increase in global surface temperature relative to a baseline reference period, averaging over a period sufficient to remove interannual variations (e.g., 20 or 30 years). A common choice for the baseline is 1850–1900 (the earliest period of reliable observations with sufficient geographic coverage), with more modern baselines used depending upon the application. |
IPCC, 2023 |
| Grassland on organic soils |
Grassland located on either shallow or deeper peat soils. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Greenhouse gas (GHG) |
Gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic, that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect. Water vapour (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and ozone (O3) are the primary GHGs in the Earth’s atmosphere. Human-made GHGs include sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs); several of these are also O3-depleting (and are regulated under the Montreal Protocol). |
IPCC, 2023 |
| H |
| Heathland |
Habitat covered with low-growing vegetation dominated by bushes, shrubs, dwarf shrubs such as heather. Heathlands can have a peat soil and can be divided into dry heaths, wet heaths, montane heath. |
Fossit, 2000 |
| High bog |
Area of a raised bog that forms/formed the dome. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Historic Environment |
A term used by the IUCN and other heritage bodies to refer to archaeological sites/deposits etc. that are preserved beneath, within and on the surface of peatlands. Contrary to the phrase, this includes sites/finds of all periods (including prehistory). |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Histosol |
A peatland whose soil contains at least 12–18% organic C and whose thickness is at least 40 cm |
|
| Humification |
The process by which organic matter decomposes to form humus or peat. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Humus |
Partially decomposed organic matter; the organic component of soil. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Hydraulic characteristics |
Factors affecting water movement and storage. |
IPS, https://peatlands.org/peatlands/types-of-peatlands/ |
| Hydraulic retention time |
The average amount of time that a soluble compound remains in a water body. |
Pschenyckyj et al, 2021 |
| Hydrology |
The movement of water through a catchment area including freshwater and seawater inputs, water level changes and drainage mechanisms, which are all influenced by the underlying geology. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| I |
| Indigenous and local communities |
The Convention on Biological Diversity does not define the term “indigenous and local communities”. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples does not adopt a universal definition for “indigenous peoples”, and a definition is not recommended. |
UNEP, 1992 |
| In-situ measurements |
As opposed to Earth Observation (EO)/remote sensing data, measurements that are captured on the ground in the field. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Intermediate Bog |
Hybrid peatland sitting between blanket and raised bogs. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Internal eutrophication |
The release of nutrients stored in peat under the anoxic conditions created when the water table is raised. Phosphorus in particular is mobilised from iron complexes under reducing conditions. Can temporarily suppress the establishment of target oligotrophic (nutrient-poor) plant communities following rewetting. |
|
| Irreversible |
That cannot be changed back. |
|
| L |
| Lagg |
A term used to describe the area of transition from bog to mineral soil around a raised bog. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Landscape |
An area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors |
ELC, 2000 |
| Limnogenous |
|
|
| M |
| Marsh |
Marshes are defined as wetlands frequently or continually inundated with water, characterized by emergent soft-stemmed vegetation adapted to saturated soil conditions. There are many different kinds of marshes. All types receive most of their water from surface water, and many marshes are also fed by groundwater. Nutrients are plentiful and the pH is usually neutral. |
EPA, https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/classification-and-types-wetlands |
| Mesotrophic |
Intermediate levels of nutrients and minerals |
Wiktionary 2026 |
| Methane |
CH4 - A powerful and short-lived greenhouse gas, with a lifetime of about a decade and Global Warming Potential about 80 times greater than that of carbon dioxide (CO2) during the 20 years after it is released into the atmosphere. |
IPCC, 2021 |
| Microclimate |
The specific climate of a small area. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Mineral deposits |
A spatially restricted area containing concentrations of valuable minerals that may be amenable to economic extraction. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Minerotrophic |
Minerotrophic, minerogenous, and geogenous are now often used interchangeably. They describe both vegetation communities and peats that derive nutrients from the geosphere. |
Renou-Wilson et al, 2011 |
| Mire |
A peatland where peat is currently being formed and accumulating. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Mitigation |
Technological change and substitution that reduces resource inputs and emissions per unit of output. Although several social, economic and technological policies would produce an emission reduction, with respect to climate change, mitigation denotes the implementation of policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance carbon sinks. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| N |
| Natura 2000 (N2000) |
The EU's network of protected areas designated under the Habitats Directive (Special Areas of Conservation, SACs) and the Birds Directive (Special Protection Areas, SPAs). N2000 sites must be managed to achieve Favourable Conservation Status for the habitats and species for which they are designated. |
|
| Natural heritage |
Natural features consisting of physical and biological formations, which are of outstanding universal value from the aesthetic or scientific point of view; geological and physiographical formations and areas which constitute the habitat of threatened species of animals and plants of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation; natural sites or areas of outstanding universal value for science, conservation or natural beauty. |
UNESCO, 1972 |
| Natural, intact, pristine peatland, near intact |
The terms ‘virgin’, ‘pristine’ and ‘intact’ have been used in several studies in relation to sites that look unmodified, uncut (as visible to the eye) and where no obvious factor is currently degrading the peatland. These terms are best avoided for use of habitat description such as peatlands in an Irish context. Most Irish peatlands are ‘humanised’ landscapes that have evolved, indeed sometimes originated, in close association with land-use systems. It would be impossible to find an Irish peatland that has never been grazed or used in some way by humans (e.g. burning). The terms ‘near-intact’ and ‘natural’ peatlands are interchangeable and are used to refer to peatlands that are hydrologically and ecologically intact, i.e. in which the eco-hydrology, in the recent past, has not been visibly affected by human activity and therefore includes active or peat-forming areas or is in the process of regenerating such a habitat. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| O |
| Oligotrophic |
Poor to extremely poor in nutrients and minerals |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Ombrotrophic |
Only supplied with nutrients by the atmosphere and consequently often acidic and low in nutrients. |
IPCC, 2014 |
| Organic |
Material which results from carbon chemical biosynthesis. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| P |
| Palse mire |
Peatland complex of the discontinuous permafrost region, with palsas, (peat plateaus) rising above the adjacent unfrozen peatland (usually fen). |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Paludiculture |
A farming and forestry system that targets the production of plant- or animal-based commodities on (wet) peatland while preserving the peat carbon stock and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions from the peat soil. |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Peat |
Soft, porous or compressed, sedimentary deposit of plant origin with high water content in the natural state (up to about 90%). Countries may define peat according to their national circumstances. |
IPCC, 2019 |
| Peat dam |
A peat dam is a form of restoration measure commonly used on raised bogs or blanket bogs. The dam is constructed from layers of peat typically extracted from a nearby location, placed into a drain and compacted to block the drain and raise the water level in the peat. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Peatland |
Wetland ecosystems where soils are dominated by peat. In peatlands, net primary production exceeds organic matter decomposition as a result of waterlogged conditions, which leads to the accumulation of peat. |
IPCC, 2019 |
| Peatland archaeology |
Archaeology preserved within (intrapeat) or beneath (subpeat) peatlands due to the low-oxygen and acidic environment of the peat. Most often wooden structures, such as trackways and platforms, artefacts, and rarely, bog bodies. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Peatland condition |
The quality of the peatland ecosystem measured in terms of its abiotic and biotic characteristics and defined via key ecosystem attributes. It describes the physical, chemical and biological quality of an ecosystem at a particular point in time. Good ecosystem condition means that the ecosystem has self-reproduction or self-restoration capability, in which species composition, ecosystem structure and ecological functions are not impaired. Under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive, the condition of a protected or designated peatland is monitored using a rolling 6-year standard list of scientific parameters classifying the current habitat condition into favourable or unfavourable categories. |
European Commission, 2022 |
| Peatland extent |
Extent of peat soils both shallow and deeper peat. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Peatland extraction |
The excavation and drying of wet peat and the collection, transport and storage of the dried product. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Peatland management |
Management of peatlands involving human activities relating to peatland utilisation and land use. |
Pschenyckyj et al, 2021 |
| Peatland utilisation |
Peatland management creates specific anthropogenic uses of peatlands. Examples include peat extraction, forestry and agriculture. |
Pschenyckyj et al, 2021 |
| Plant community |
In vegetation studies, a well-defined assemblage of plants and/or animals, clearly distinguishable from other such assemblages. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Precipitation |
Rainfall, snow, hailstones, dew and frost. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Priority habitat |
A subset of the habitats listed in Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive. These are habitats which are in danger of disappearance and whose natural range mainly falls within the territory of the European Union. These habitats are of the highest conservation status and require measures to ensure that their favourable conservation status is maintained. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| R |
| Raised bog |
Usually dome-shaped peatland that has its water level above that of the surrounding mineral soil due to its moisture being fed only by the atmosphere. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Recovery |
The development of a degraded ecosystem to a former, better state or condition. When this state or condition has been reached, the ecosystem is (spontaneously) ‘regenerated’, (actively) ‘restored’ or (in general) ‘recovered’. |
|
| Regenerated peatland |
Degraded peatland where spontaneous development has led to the regeneration of peat-forming conditions. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Remote sensing |
Group of techniques for collecting image or other forms of data about an object from measurements made at a distance from the object and the processing and analysis of the data |
ESA, 2007 |
| Restoration |
All deliberate actions that contribute to the recovery of a degraded ecosystem. When this goal has been reached, the ecosystem is ‘restored’. |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Rewetting |
The deliberate action of changing a drained soil into a wet soil, e.g. by blocking drainage ditches, disabling pumping facilities or breaching obstructions. |
IPCC, 2014; European Commission, 2022 |
| S |
| Sedimentation |
Deposition of matter after transport by water or ice or wind. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Shallow drained |
Where the annual water table remains on average above -30 cm. |
Renou-Wilson et al, 2022 |
| Shallow peat soils |
Where the annual water table remains on average 10 cm to 30 cm (drained) and to 45 cm (undrained) in the peat. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Social values |
The types of values held in social situations or processes, including the values of particular communities or the cultural values of society at large. |
Pschenyckyj et al, 2021 |
| Sphagnum |
Genus of bog moss adapted to acid, cool, waterlogged and extremely nutrient-poor conditions, and they create these hostile environments themselves. |
Hydin and Jeglum, 2006 |
| Stakeholders |
Individual or group having an interest in any decision or activity of an organization. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Sustainable Peatland Management |
Management of peatlands that preserves the interests of current and future generations, and enhances the biodiversity and ecosystem services on which continued human health and flourishing depends, balancing co-evolution of economic, social and environmental spheres. |
PHI, 2024 |
| Swamp |
A swamp is any wetland dominated by woody plants. Swamps are characterized by saturated soils during the growing season and standing water during certain times of the year. The highly organic soils of swamps form a thick, black, nutrient-rich environment for the growth of water-tolerant trees. Some swamps are dominated by shrubs. |
EPA, https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/classification-and-types-wetlands |
| T |
| Terrestrial |
Living or growing on land. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Topography |
Physical features of an area. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Transitional mire |
Fen that receives acid and nutrient poor groundwater and functions like a fen, but with vegetation and hydrochemistry similar to that of a bog. |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| W |
| Well-being |
An integrating concept of the good life, the constituents of which will vary among people and across time. |
Harley and Clark, 2023 |
| Wet Deposition |
Deposition of atmospheric pollutants as part of rainfall. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Wet Heath |
Vegetation usually dominated by heather on either shallow peat (with a solid, continuous surface 0.15–0.5 m deep) or sandy mineral soil. |
IRWC, 2018 |
| Wetland Restoration |
Aims to permanently re-establish the pre-disturbance wetland ecosystem, including the hydrological and biogeochemical processes typical of water saturated soils, as well as the vegetation cover that pre-dated the disturbance. Normally, the restoration of previously drained wetlands is accompanied by rewetting, while the restoration of undrained, but otherwise disturbed wetlands may not require rewetting. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Wetlands |
An area that is inundated or saturated by water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
|
| Aapa mire |
Minerotrophic, sloping, and patterned mire |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Abiotic |
Non-biotic (see biotic). |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Acrotelm |
Upper layer of a living raised bog, consisting of the vegetation and the uppermost peat, which through its distinct vertical gradient in hydraulic conductivity and large water storage capacity stabilizes the water level. |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Acrotelm mire |
A mire in which an acrotelm enables peat accumulation. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Aerobic |
Having or containing oxygen. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Active or peat forming |
According to the Interpretation Manual of the Habitats Directive, the term Active is taken to mean still supporting a significant area of vegetation that is normally peat forming. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Active peatland |
Peatland on which peat is currently forming and accumulating. All active peatlands (mires) are peatlands but peatlands that are no longer accumulating peat would no longer be considered mires. |
Pschenyckyj et al, 2021 |
| Actor |
Entities with agency, i.e. the ability to choose or decide; they include people, communities, firms, other organizations, and states, but also some nonhuman organisms and their assemblages. |
Harley and Clark, 2023 |
| Afforestation |
Establishing new forests on un-forested land. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Agricultural peat soils |
Areas of peatland used for agriculture such as livestock or crop production. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Air quality |
Air quality is a measure of how polluted the air is. A range of air pollutants is emitted when peat is used as a fuel for electricity generation or for home heating, including fine particulate matter which can penetrate deep into the lungs and airways with direct impacts on human health. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Ammonia |
A pungent colorless gaseous alkaline compound of nitrogen and hydrogen that is very soluble in water and can easily be condensed to a liquid by cold and pressure. |
Merriam Webster, 2024 |
| Anaerobic |
The absence of oxygen. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Annex I habitat types |
Natural and semi-natural habitats listed in Annex I of the Habitats Directive as being of Community interest and requiring designation of Special Areas of Conservation. Multiple peatland and mire habitat types are included in Annex I. |
|
| Anoxic |
Oxygen-free |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Anthropogenic |
Resulting from or produced by human activities. |
IPCC, 2023 |
| Biodiversity |
A general term used to describe all aspects of biological diversity including the number of species present in a given environment, the genetic diversity present within a species and the number of different ecosystems present within a given environment. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Biogeographic |
Dealing with geographic distibutional patterns of flora and fauna. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Biotic |
Pertaining to life. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Blanket Bog |
Bog which forms a blanket-like layer over the underlying mineral soil. |
PHI, 2024 |
| Bog |
Peatland of which the upper peat layers are derived from vegetation that was only supplied with water and nutrients by precipitation. |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Boreal |
Biogeographical zone between the temperate and the subarctic. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Bryophytes |
Mosses, liverworts and hornworts. Bryophytes reproduce from spores held in capsules, rather than seeds formed by flowers. Peatlands are home to a diversity of bryophytes, and bryophytes are important in the ecological functioning of peatlands. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Carbon |
A non-metallic chemical element with atomic number 6 that readily forms compounds with many other elements and is a constituent of organic compounds in all known living tissues. |
Merriam Webster, 2024 |
| Carbon balance |
The sum of the amount of carbon taken up the growing peatland (i.e. the growth of the plants and the accumulation of the peat) and the amount of carbon removed from the peatland (i.e. gaseous losses (CO2 and CH4 emissions), dissolved C losses and losses due to human activities, such as turf cutting, fire, etc.). |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Carbon dioxide |
A gas made up of one atom of carbon and two atoms of oxygen which is produced whenever carbon-based fuels are burned (or oxidised more slowly in plants and animals). Abbreviated as CO2. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Carbon Flux |
The rate of flow of carbon, across a given area; the amount of this crossing a given area in a given time. |
IPCC, 2019 |
| Carbon Sequestration |
The capture and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), for example, in peat bogs. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Carbon Sink |
Any process, activity or mechanism which removes a greenhouse gas (GHG), an aerosol, or a precursor of a GHG from the atmosphere. Notation in the final stages of reporting is the negative (-) sign. |
IPCC, 2019 |
| Carbon Source |
Any process or activity which releases a greenhouse gas (GHG), an aerosol or a precursor of a GHG into the atmosphere. Notation in the final stages of reporting is the positive (+) sign. |
IPCC, 2019 |
| Catchment |
The geographical area draining into a river or reservoir. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Catotelm |
Permanently water-saturated peat layer of relatively low hydraulic conductivity with a low rate of decay. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Community |
There is no all-encompassing definition of community, but two main types of communities are described: interest communities and geographic communities both of which share social interactions and may have shared values or shared locations. Also described as multidimensional, cross-scale, social-political units or networks changing through time. The Earth Charter refers to the 'community of life' which includes both human and non-human communities. |
Berkes, 2004; Earth Charter, 2000; PHI, 2024 |
| Conservation |
All deliberate actions that protect the environment and natural resources (including biodiversity). |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Cultural ecosystem services |
One of four key categories identified in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment along with provisioning, regulating and supporting services. Generally described as the benefits, both material and non-material, that people gain from being in environments such as peatlands. These interactions give rise to a variety of wellbeing benefits that can be valued in various ways. |
Pschenyckyj et al, 2021 |
| Cutaway peatland (industrial) |
Where peat is being or has been extracted by industrial means. Peat extraction is the term used to refer to peat production, peat mining or peat extraction. (Peat production is the term widely used in Ireland within the industry and is defined as the overall management or the processes and methods used to produce peat for commercial operations.) |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Cutover |
Areas of bog that have been previously cut (by hand or by mechanical means), although not down to the marl layer or bedrock. Remaining peat may still be an economic reserve. Cutover areas are normally a mosaic of cut areas, face banks, pools, drainage ditches, uncut areas of peat, scrub, grassland etc. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Dam |
An artificial structure that is barrier used to hold back water. |
IPCC, 2019 |
| Deep drained |
Where the annual water table remains on average -30 cm or deeper below the ground level. |
Renou-Wilson et al, 2022 |
| Deforestation |
Cutting most or all of the trees in a forested area. Deforestation contributes to warming by releasing carbon dioxide, changing the albedo (amount of sunlight reflected from the surface) and reducing the amount of carbon dioxide taken out of the atmosphere by trees. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Degraded |
Lowered/altered in quality as compared to the original condition. |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Denitrification |
The process by which nitrates or nitrites are reduced to nitrogencontaining gases, as by bacterial action on soil. |
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| Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) |
Organic carbon remaining in solution after filtering the sample, typically using a 0.45 micrometer filter. When peat is degraded, DOC is leached into the water, which can impact water quality and have ecological impacts on ecosystem health, as well as result in costs for water treatment. |
IPCC, 2019; Pschenyckyj et al, 2021 |
| Disturbance |
A discrete event, either natural or human induced, which causes a change in the existing condition of an ecological system. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Dry deposition |
Deposition of atmospheric pollutants through direct contact with plant surfaces. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Ecohydrology |
The sub-discipline of scientific study shared by ecology and hydrology. Investigates the effects of hydrological processes on the distribution, structure, and function of ecosystems, and on the effects of biotic processes on elements of the water cycle. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Ecological restoration |
The process of assisting the recovery of a degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystem. |
Gann et al., 2019 |
| Ecology |
The study of the interactions between organisms, and their physical, chemical and biological environment. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Ecosystem |
A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Ecosystem services |
Benefits that people obtain from ecosystems. |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Ecotope |
The smallest ecologically distinct landscape features in a landscape. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Eutrophication |
Rich levels of nutrients and minerals |
Wiktionary 2026 |
| Eutrophication |
Over-enrichment of minerals and nutrients in a body of water, leading to excess algae growth and depletion of dissolved oxygen. |
Pschenyckyj et al, 2021 |
| Favourable Conservation Status (FCS) |
A composite assessment of a habitat's range, area, structure, function, and the status of its typical species. Achieving FCS is the legal goal of conservation management under the Habitats Directive. |
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| Favourable Reference Area (FRA) |
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| Fen |
Peatland of which the uppermost peat layers are derived from vegetation that also received water that has been in contact with mineral soil or bedrock (cf. bog). |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Floodplain |
The area of land directly adjacent to a river which experiences flooding during periods of high discharge, and is made up of deposited sediments from a river during a flood. |
https://thefloodhub.co.uk/glossary |
| Forest |
Land under trees with a minimum area of 0.1 ha and tree crown cover of more than 20% of the total area, or the potential to achieve this cover at maturity. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Forestry on peat |
Forests located on either shallow or deeper peat soils. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Geomorphology |
The science of form of the earth’s surface, including structure and development. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Global Warming |
The increase in global surface temperature relative to a baseline reference period, averaging over a period sufficient to remove interannual variations (e.g., 20 or 30 years). A common choice for the baseline is 1850–1900 (the earliest period of reliable observations with sufficient geographic coverage), with more modern baselines used depending upon the application. |
IPCC, 2023 |
| Grassland on organic soils |
Grassland located on either shallow or deeper peat soils. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Greenhouse gas (GHG) |
Gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic, that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect. Water vapour (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and ozone (O3) are the primary GHGs in the Earth’s atmosphere. Human-made GHGs include sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs); several of these are also O3-depleting (and are regulated under the Montreal Protocol). |
IPCC, 2023 |
| Heathland |
Habitat covered with low-growing vegetation dominated by bushes, shrubs, dwarf shrubs such as heather. Heathlands can have a peat soil and can be divided into dry heaths, wet heaths, montane heath. |
Fossit, 2000 |
| High bog |
Area of a raised bog that forms/formed the dome. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Historic Environment |
A term used by the IUCN and other heritage bodies to refer to archaeological sites/deposits etc. that are preserved beneath, within and on the surface of peatlands. Contrary to the phrase, this includes sites/finds of all periods (including prehistory). |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Histosol |
A peatland whose soil contains at least 12–18% organic C and whose thickness is at least 40 cm |
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| Humification |
The process by which organic matter decomposes to form humus or peat. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Humus |
Partially decomposed organic matter; the organic component of soil. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Hydraulic characteristics |
Factors affecting water movement and storage. |
IPS, https://peatlands.org/peatlands/types-of-peatlands/ |
| Hydraulic retention time |
The average amount of time that a soluble compound remains in a water body. |
Pschenyckyj et al, 2021 |
| Hydrology |
The movement of water through a catchment area including freshwater and seawater inputs, water level changes and drainage mechanisms, which are all influenced by the underlying geology. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Indigenous and local communities |
The Convention on Biological Diversity does not define the term “indigenous and local communities”. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples does not adopt a universal definition for “indigenous peoples”, and a definition is not recommended. |
UNEP, 1992 |
| In-situ measurements |
As opposed to Earth Observation (EO)/remote sensing data, measurements that are captured on the ground in the field. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Intermediate Bog |
Hybrid peatland sitting between blanket and raised bogs. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Internal eutrophication |
The release of nutrients stored in peat under the anoxic conditions created when the water table is raised. Phosphorus in particular is mobilised from iron complexes under reducing conditions. Can temporarily suppress the establishment of target oligotrophic (nutrient-poor) plant communities following rewetting. |
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| Irreversible |
That cannot be changed back. |
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| Lagg |
A term used to describe the area of transition from bog to mineral soil around a raised bog. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Landscape |
An area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors |
ELC, 2000 |
| Limnogenous |
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| Marsh |
Marshes are defined as wetlands frequently or continually inundated with water, characterized by emergent soft-stemmed vegetation adapted to saturated soil conditions. There are many different kinds of marshes. All types receive most of their water from surface water, and many marshes are also fed by groundwater. Nutrients are plentiful and the pH is usually neutral. |
EPA, https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/classification-and-types-wetlands |
| Mesotrophic |
Intermediate levels of nutrients and minerals |
Wiktionary 2026 |
| Methane |
CH4 - A powerful and short-lived greenhouse gas, with a lifetime of about a decade and Global Warming Potential about 80 times greater than that of carbon dioxide (CO2) during the 20 years after it is released into the atmosphere. |
IPCC, 2021 |
| Microclimate |
The specific climate of a small area. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Mineral deposits |
A spatially restricted area containing concentrations of valuable minerals that may be amenable to economic extraction. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Minerotrophic |
Minerotrophic, minerogenous, and geogenous are now often used interchangeably. They describe both vegetation communities and peats that derive nutrients from the geosphere. |
Renou-Wilson et al, 2011 |
| Mire |
A peatland where peat is currently being formed and accumulating. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Mitigation |
Technological change and substitution that reduces resource inputs and emissions per unit of output. Although several social, economic and technological policies would produce an emission reduction, with respect to climate change, mitigation denotes the implementation of policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance carbon sinks. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Natura 2000 (N2000) |
The EU's network of protected areas designated under the Habitats Directive (Special Areas of Conservation, SACs) and the Birds Directive (Special Protection Areas, SPAs). N2000 sites must be managed to achieve Favourable Conservation Status for the habitats and species for which they are designated. |
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| Natural heritage |
Natural features consisting of physical and biological formations, which are of outstanding universal value from the aesthetic or scientific point of view; geological and physiographical formations and areas which constitute the habitat of threatened species of animals and plants of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation; natural sites or areas of outstanding universal value for science, conservation or natural beauty. |
UNESCO, 1972 |
| Natural, intact, pristine peatland, near intact |
The terms ‘virgin’, ‘pristine’ and ‘intact’ have been used in several studies in relation to sites that look unmodified, uncut (as visible to the eye) and where no obvious factor is currently degrading the peatland. These terms are best avoided for use of habitat description such as peatlands in an Irish context. Most Irish peatlands are ‘humanised’ landscapes that have evolved, indeed sometimes originated, in close association with land-use systems. It would be impossible to find an Irish peatland that has never been grazed or used in some way by humans (e.g. burning). The terms ‘near-intact’ and ‘natural’ peatlands are interchangeable and are used to refer to peatlands that are hydrologically and ecologically intact, i.e. in which the eco-hydrology, in the recent past, has not been visibly affected by human activity and therefore includes active or peat-forming areas or is in the process of regenerating such a habitat. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Oligotrophic |
Poor to extremely poor in nutrients and minerals |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Ombrotrophic |
Only supplied with nutrients by the atmosphere and consequently often acidic and low in nutrients. |
IPCC, 2014 |
| Organic |
Material which results from carbon chemical biosynthesis. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Palse mire |
Peatland complex of the discontinuous permafrost region, with palsas, (peat plateaus) rising above the adjacent unfrozen peatland (usually fen). |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Paludiculture |
A farming and forestry system that targets the production of plant- or animal-based commodities on (wet) peatland while preserving the peat carbon stock and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions from the peat soil. |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Peat |
Soft, porous or compressed, sedimentary deposit of plant origin with high water content in the natural state (up to about 90%). Countries may define peat according to their national circumstances. |
IPCC, 2019 |
| Peat dam |
A peat dam is a form of restoration measure commonly used on raised bogs or blanket bogs. The dam is constructed from layers of peat typically extracted from a nearby location, placed into a drain and compacted to block the drain and raise the water level in the peat. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Peatland |
Wetland ecosystems where soils are dominated by peat. In peatlands, net primary production exceeds organic matter decomposition as a result of waterlogged conditions, which leads to the accumulation of peat. |
IPCC, 2019 |
| Peatland archaeology |
Archaeology preserved within (intrapeat) or beneath (subpeat) peatlands due to the low-oxygen and acidic environment of the peat. Most often wooden structures, such as trackways and platforms, artefacts, and rarely, bog bodies. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Peatland condition |
The quality of the peatland ecosystem measured in terms of its abiotic and biotic characteristics and defined via key ecosystem attributes. It describes the physical, chemical and biological quality of an ecosystem at a particular point in time. Good ecosystem condition means that the ecosystem has self-reproduction or self-restoration capability, in which species composition, ecosystem structure and ecological functions are not impaired. Under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive, the condition of a protected or designated peatland is monitored using a rolling 6-year standard list of scientific parameters classifying the current habitat condition into favourable or unfavourable categories. |
European Commission, 2022 |
| Peatland extent |
Extent of peat soils both shallow and deeper peat. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Peatland extraction |
The excavation and drying of wet peat and the collection, transport and storage of the dried product. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Peatland management |
Management of peatlands involving human activities relating to peatland utilisation and land use. |
Pschenyckyj et al, 2021 |
| Peatland utilisation |
Peatland management creates specific anthropogenic uses of peatlands. Examples include peat extraction, forestry and agriculture. |
Pschenyckyj et al, 2021 |
| Plant community |
In vegetation studies, a well-defined assemblage of plants and/or animals, clearly distinguishable from other such assemblages. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Precipitation |
Rainfall, snow, hailstones, dew and frost. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Priority habitat |
A subset of the habitats listed in Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive. These are habitats which are in danger of disappearance and whose natural range mainly falls within the territory of the European Union. These habitats are of the highest conservation status and require measures to ensure that their favourable conservation status is maintained. |
DCHG, 2017 |
| Raised bog |
Usually dome-shaped peatland that has its water level above that of the surrounding mineral soil due to its moisture being fed only by the atmosphere. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Recovery |
The development of a degraded ecosystem to a former, better state or condition. When this state or condition has been reached, the ecosystem is (spontaneously) ‘regenerated’, (actively) ‘restored’ or (in general) ‘recovered’. |
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| Regenerated peatland |
Degraded peatland where spontaneous development has led to the regeneration of peat-forming conditions. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Remote sensing |
Group of techniques for collecting image or other forms of data about an object from measurements made at a distance from the object and the processing and analysis of the data |
ESA, 2007 |
| Restoration |
All deliberate actions that contribute to the recovery of a degraded ecosystem. When this goal has been reached, the ecosystem is ‘restored’. |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Rewetting |
The deliberate action of changing a drained soil into a wet soil, e.g. by blocking drainage ditches, disabling pumping facilities or breaching obstructions. |
IPCC, 2014; European Commission, 2022 |
| Sedimentation |
Deposition of matter after transport by water or ice or wind. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Shallow drained |
Where the annual water table remains on average above -30 cm. |
Renou-Wilson et al, 2022 |
| Shallow peat soils |
Where the annual water table remains on average 10 cm to 30 cm (drained) and to 45 cm (undrained) in the peat. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Social values |
The types of values held in social situations or processes, including the values of particular communities or the cultural values of society at large. |
Pschenyckyj et al, 2021 |
| Sphagnum |
Genus of bog moss adapted to acid, cool, waterlogged and extremely nutrient-poor conditions, and they create these hostile environments themselves. |
Hydin and Jeglum, 2006 |
| Stakeholders |
Individual or group having an interest in any decision or activity of an organization. |
DAHG, 2015 |
| Sustainable Peatland Management |
Management of peatlands that preserves the interests of current and future generations, and enhances the biodiversity and ecosystem services on which continued human health and flourishing depends, balancing co-evolution of economic, social and environmental spheres. |
PHI, 2024 |
| Swamp |
A swamp is any wetland dominated by woody plants. Swamps are characterized by saturated soils during the growing season and standing water during certain times of the year. The highly organic soils of swamps form a thick, black, nutrient-rich environment for the growth of water-tolerant trees. Some swamps are dominated by shrubs. |
EPA, https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/classification-and-types-wetlands |
| Terrestrial |
Living or growing on land. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Topography |
Physical features of an area. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
| Transitional mire |
Fen that receives acid and nutrient poor groundwater and functions like a fen, but with vegetation and hydrochemistry similar to that of a bog. |
Convention on wetlands, 2021 |
| Well-being |
An integrating concept of the good life, the constituents of which will vary among people and across time. |
Harley and Clark, 2023 |
| Wet Deposition |
Deposition of atmospheric pollutants as part of rainfall. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Wet Heath |
Vegetation usually dominated by heather on either shallow peat (with a solid, continuous surface 0.15–0.5 m deep) or sandy mineral soil. |
IRWC, 2018 |
| Wetland Restoration |
Aims to permanently re-establish the pre-disturbance wetland ecosystem, including the hydrological and biogeochemical processes typical of water saturated soils, as well as the vegetation cover that pre-dated the disturbance. Normally, the restoration of previously drained wetlands is accompanied by rewetting, while the restoration of undrained, but otherwise disturbed wetlands may not require rewetting. |
PHI Researcher Survey |
| Wetlands |
An area that is inundated or saturated by water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. |
Joosten and Clarke, 2002 |
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