Environmental Drivers of Palsa and Peat Plateau Occurrences: A Regional Comparison Across the Northern Hemisphere

Palsas and peat plateaus occur in various environmental conditions, but their driving environmental factors have not been examined across the Northern Hemisphere with harmonized datasets. Such comparisons can deepen our understanding of these landforms and their response to climate change. We conducted a comparative study between four regions: Hudson Bay, Iceland, Northern Fennoscandia, and Western Siberia by integrating landform observations and geospatial data into a MaxEnt model. Climate and hydrological conditions were identified as primary, yet regionally divergent, factors affecting palsa and peat plateau occurrence. Suitable conditions for these landforms entail specific temperature ranges (500–1500 thawing degree days, 500–4000 freezing degree days), around 300 mm of rainfall, and high soil moisture accumulation potential. Iceland's conditions, in particular, differ due to higher precipitation, a narrower temperature range, and the significance of soil organic carbon content. The annual thermal balance is a critical factor in understanding the occurrence of permafrost peatlands and should be considered when comparing different regions. We conclude that palsas and peat plateaus share similar topographic conditions but occupy varying soil conditions and climatic niches across the Northern Hemisphere. These findings have implications for understanding the climatic sensitivity of permafrost peatlands and identifying potential greenhouse gas emitters.