Carbon stock, subsurface characteristics and accommodation settings of sub-tropical peatland Histosols, K'gari, Queensland Australia

Subtropical peatlands on K'gari (Fraser Island), Australia, hold significant carbon stocks comparable to global averages, with some sites storing up to 1665.5 Mg C ha⁻¹. Unlike temperate or montane-alpine Empodisma-dominated peatlands, these subtropical systems exhibit higher bulk density, lower moisture content, and greater humification, particularly in younger Holocene deposits like Moon Point. The study reveals that older morphosequences (e.g., Yankee Jack) and coastal sediment settings limit peat accumulation due to reduced groundwater levels and accommodation space, increasing susceptibility to fires and carbon loss. Climate shifts 6000–5000 years ago favored peat growth across southeast Queensland, but ongoing management is critical to prevent these ecosystems from becoming net carbon emitters.

Chalmers, G., Ghasemzadeh, Z., Chittleborough, D., Gontz, A., Cooray, I. G., Yule, C., Chellaiah, D., & McCallum, A. (2025). Carbon stock, subsurface characteristics and accommodation settings of sub-tropical peatland Histosols, K’gari, Queensland Australia. Geoderma Regional, 40, e00913. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2024.e00913