The Wetland Carbon Lab recently came together for a full day of hands-on training, split between the field and the lab. The goal was to ensure every team member is familiar with the sensors and sampling techniques available to the group. On the scientific side, we practiced aquatic greenhouse gas flux measurements, dissolved gas flux measurements, porewater sampling, methane ebullition and water quality monitoring. But beyond the science, it was simply a great day to be together as a team. Days like these remind us that good research is built on shared knowledge and strong connections.

After nearly a year of rigorous research that took them from conceptual design to field data collection and laboratory analysis, both students have produced impressive work in urban ecology. Emelia investigated the spatio-temporal variability of water properties along Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, while Qin Ning evaluated Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) as bioindicators of ecosystem health in urban ponds. Completing the full research cycle is no small feat and we are proud of their dedication. We wish them both the very best in their next chapter!

• After more than two years of preparation, we have successfully launched our 65 m flux tower above the Mendaram tropical peat swamp forest (Brunei Darussalam, Borneo). This is the first eddy covariance tower measuring carbon dioxide and methane exchange in a truly pristine peat swamp forest (i.e., undrained and unlogged) in the region, according to scientific literature.

• This milestone marks the completion of Phase 1 of our project. We are now entering the data collection and analysis phase, working with a unique and globally significant dataset that will help refine our understanding of tropical carbon dynamics and their contribution to climate change mitigation.

The Wetland Carbon Lab just returned from Mendaram, where they completed another successful field trip. Booms and brackets were installed on the tower, which is now ready to receive the eddy covariance sensors. The team learned key practices from Mathieu Clavel, a rope access professional with experience working in extreme environments.

For the second consecutive year, PI Pierre Taillardat was involved in organizing the AlterCOP day on Biodiversity and Nature-based Solutions. The event convened speakers from across the sustainability field to share perspectives and engage in discussion with the audience. Such events are important for linking scientific and practical knowledge to action, and for highlighting the role of functioning ecosystems in supporting biodiversity, human societies, and the global economy.

The peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports launched a Special Collection on “Peatlands as Carbon Sinks” for which Pierre will be a guest editor. We look forward to reading ALL the papers from this Special Collection!

• The Wetland Carbon Lab had a great time at AsiaFlux 2025 in Pangkalan Kerinci, Riau, Indonesia! It was an awesome few days packed with talks and ideas directly connected to our work.

• Congrats to Zhentao Liu for earning a conference scholarship.

• We are already looking forward to AsiaFlux 2026!

• Fuad will be working on carbon and nutrient dynamics at the interface between blue carbon ecosystems and aquaculture.

• Zhentao will be working on greenhouse gas exchange in tropical peatlands.

• Warm welcome to them and looking forward to seeing their contributions to the team!

• The past two weeks were busy in the lab where we set up our first eddy covariance flux system.

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• This was a team effort led by our great Chief Engineer, Olaf Kolle (formerly at the Max Plank Institute). Students and staff from NTU Asian School of the Environment, National University of Singapore, Université de Montréal, and Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie got involved in the setup and training.

We co-organised with Chunlin Song (Sichuan University) a session at the AOGS 2025 conference on aquatic biogeochemistry. Always fun to connect with and learn from colleagues from the region!

Pierre showed the students how to measure greenhouse gas emissions from the mangrove ecosystem. Fun day!

One of our recent papers was featured as an Editor’s Highlight in the Eos science news magazine published by American Geophysical Union.

This highlights the global importance of the work we do.

The Wetland Carbon Lab organized a workshop on eddy covariance measurements at the NTU Asian School of the Environment. Collaborators and colleagues from various institutions including NUS and NParks participated.

We hope to take part of the establishment of eddy covariance network in Singapore and in the region!

Our latest paper “Half of land use carbon emissions in Southeast Asia can be mitigated through peat swamp forest and mangrove conservation and restoration” led by Sigit Sasmito (James Cook University, Australia) and published in Nature Communications has been showcased in a Strait Times news article. Here is the link.

Pierre co-organized the AlterCOP day on Biodiversity, Carbon Markets & Nature-based Solutions.

The event was a huge success, featuring outstanding speakers coming from academia, NGOs and the corporate sector.

It brought a large crowd and got people talking about nature-based carbon management from different perspectives.

Many thanks to the organizers The Matcha Initiative and The Transmutation Principle.

We look forward to AlterCOP30!

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