Supporting data of Unprecedented burning in tropical peatlands during the 20th century compared to the previous two millennia

Summary:This study reveals unprecedented burning in tropical peatlands during the 20th century, mainly expressed in the Indomalayan and Australasian regions, emphasising regional variability in peatland burning and its links to modern human activities. Before this period, tropical peatland burning largely followed changes in global temperature and was influenced by climate variables that control the duration and severity of droughts over the past two millennia. These findings highlight the importance of conservation and sustainable land-use practices as key strategies for mitigating future peatland wildfires.Authors: Yuwan Wang, Ted R. Feldpausch, Graeme T. Swindles, Patrick Moss,, Hamish A. McGowan, Thomas G. Sim, Paul J. Morris, Adam Benfield, Colin Courtney-Mustaphi, David Wahl, Encarni Montoya, Esther Githumbi, Eurídice N. Honorio Coronado, Femke Augustijns, Gert Verstraeten, Jess O'Donnell (Roe), John Tibby, Juan C. Benavides, K. Anggi Hapsari, Karsten Schittek, Khairun Nisha Mohamed Ramdzan, Kunshan Bao, Lydia E. S. Cole, Lysanna Anderson, Mariusz Gałka, Orijemie Emuobosa Akpo, Paul Strobel, Prabhakaran Ramya Bala, René Dommain,, Rob Marchant,, Raman Sukumar, Sakonvan Chawchai, Sarath Pullyottum Kavil, Scott Mooney, Thomas J. Kelly, Yang Gao, Apostolos Voulgarakis,, Arnoud Boom, Chantelle Burton, Juan Carlos Berrio, Kelly Ribeiro, Liana O. Anderson, Mark Hardiman, Molly Spater, Susan E. Page, Angela Gallego-SalaThe article info:Wang, Y., T. R.Feldpausch, G. T.Swindles, et al. 2026. “Unprecedented Burning in Tropical Peatlands During the 20th Century Compared to the Previous Two Millennia.” Global Change Biology, 32, no. 3: e70717. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70717.