Land use

• Humans reduce the amount of land available for animals and plants
• How the destruction of peat bogs reduces biodiversity and releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

  1. Peat bogs and peatlands contain large amounts of dead plant materials

  2. Conditions in the peat mean that decay is very slow

  3. Peat bogs and peatlands contain a very large amount of trapped carbon

  4. Peat is used to produce cheap compost for gardens and farms

  5. Peat is burned to release energy for example to generate electricity

  6. Destruction of peat bogs and peatlands reduces the area of this habitat

  7. Reduces the variety of animals, plants and microorganisms that live there

  8. Reduces biodiversity

  9. When peat is extracted and used for compost, it begins to decay

  10. This releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

  11. Carbon dioxide released contributes to climate change
• Many gardeners have stopped buying compost made with peat
• Alternatives to peat compost are more expensive
• If farmers had to use peat-free compost, that could increase the price of food
• There is no simple answer to the issue of peat use