5 Peat erosion
Peat erosion may be particularly significant in terms of climate change. If, as predicted, the UK summers become warmer and drier, then there is an increased risk of peat erosion occurring. Peat soils store large amounts of carbon, locking it away and preventing it from becoming available for conversion to greenhouse gases. However, as peat is eroded, that carbon is no longer locked up and can potentially be released. This could make the problem of climate change worse, creating what is known as a positive feedback; that is, it makes itself worse.
Activity 2
Identify other human-induced changes that are happening in the environment that have the potential to interact with climate change.
For more on environmental change, visit the UN's Millennium Ecosystem Assessment website and watch the videos.
4 Soil erosion