## 6 Conclusions  
Remote sensing approaches hold immense potential to contribute to northern peatlands by providing objective, continuous, and up-to-date information over different scales, from small to large spatial extents (ground-based, UAV, airborne, and satellite remote sensing data from optical, laser, and radar sensors). This paper reviews past and current remote sensing platforms utilised in peatland management. Moreover, it is highlighted that remote sensing has benefits as well as drawbacks, and we endorse a combined approach that employs multiple platforms and techniques to investigate the complexities of peatlands. The following are the benefits of using remote sensing platforms in peatlands:  
* Remote sensing, especially satellite, allows coverage of inaccessible terrain, providing a means to explore and monitor peatland areas that are difficult to access on foot or by traditional field measurements;
* It enables measurements and observations without direct contact with the studied object. This ensures that the physical properties of the peatland are not altered during data collection;
* Remote sensing facilitates upscaling from point scale measurements to larger scales, such as slopes, basins, valleys, or even entire mountain ranges. This capability allows a broader understanding of peatland dynamics and patterns across different spatial extents;  
Figure 4: Year-to-year comparison between the applications of various remote sensing platforms in northern peatlands from 2017 to 2022 (the applications were aggregated based on the grouping themes in Supplementary Table S1). * Radar data, commonly used in remote sensing, provides weather independence. Data acquisition can continue regardless of weather conditions, allowing for consistent monitoring and analysis;
* Remote sensing enables the collection of complete and continuous data records over time from specific locations. This longitudinal data can reveal temporal patterns, changes, and trends in peatland characteristics and dynamics;
* Different sensors can be utilised in remote sensing, each capable of measuring specific physical properties of peatlands. This multi-sensor approach comprehensively explains various aspects, such as vegetation dynamics, hydrological conditions, and subsurface characteristics;
* Remote sensing data archives offer the opportunity to access historical data, allowing researchers to analyse peatland changes over time. By utilising these archives, valuable insights can be gained into long-term trends and transformations. * The limitations associated with remote sensing in peatland research are as follows:
* Mapping peatland ecological conditions at the appropriate scale is challenging, as peatlands can appear visually homogeneous at moderate spatial resolutions, e.g., in satellite imageries such as MODIS, but display high complexity at finer resolutions, e.g., in drone and airborne imageries;
* The reflectance spectra of peatland vegetation, particularly Sphagnum mosses, can change when the mosses are desiccated, making it challenging to identify species and moisture content accurately using spectral satellite data;
* A comparably small number of studies have proven the concept of using hyperspectral satellite and UAV hyperspectral remote sensing data for peatland research. This indicates a need for further research to establish the effectiveness of remote sensing in this context;
* Acquiring very high spatial resolution remote sensing data can be expensive. The costs of obtaining such data may limit its accessibility and utilisation in peatland research and management applications;
* Remote sensing data with very high spatial resolution typically covers a small swath, resulting in limited coverage of peatland areas. This constraint can hinder the comprehensive assessment and monitoring of more significant peatland regions;
* The temporal resolution of most sensor systems is currently insufficient for practical peatland analysis.