Datasets that support the major results of the study that quantifies the long-term impacts of peatland drying on microbial and bryospheric carbon fixation. The ongoing climate change is predicted to lead to the drying of northern peatlands. Persistent drying changes peatland vegetation as well as the abiotic environment in the moss layer. However, it is not well established how these changes alter bryospheric (moss layer) photosynthesis and the contribution of photoautotrophic microbes. Here, we aimed to understand how long-term drying affects microbial and bryospheric carbon fixation through various changes in different peatland types. We utilised a 20-year water level drawdown (WLD) experiment in Lakkasuo peatland (61°47′N, 24°18′E), Central Finland. The experiment covers three different peatland types typical for the boreal zone, namely rich fen, poor fen, and bog. We measured microbial photosynthetic capacity, moss photosynthesis capacity, and environmental variables. We also quantified the oxygenic photoautotrophic microbes targeting 23S rRNA gene and quantified their absolute abundance using digital PCR technique.

2025