Peatlands store large amounts of carbon. This storage function has been reduced through intensive drainage, which leads to the decomposition of peat, resulting in a loss of carbon. Measurements of the real ( ′ ) and imaginary part ( ′′ ) of electrical conductivity can deliver information on peat properties, such as the pore fluid conductivity ( w ), cation exchange capacity (CEC), bulk density ( b ), water content (WC) and soil organic matter (SOM) content. These properties change with the peat's degree of decomposition (DD). To explore the relationships between the peat properties, ′ , ′′ and DD, we focused on three different types of survey and scales. First, point measurements were made with a conductivity probe at various locations over a large area of northeast Germany to determine the degree of correlation between ′ and DD. Second, nine of these locations were selected for sampling to determine which of the properties w , CEC, b , WC and SOM predominantly influence ′ and ′′ . This multisite dataset includes the entire range of DD and was analysed in the laboratory. Third, one site was selected for a survey of ′ including sampling, to identify which properties mainly control ′ in a single-site approach. Statistical analysis revealed that for the multisite laboratory dataset, w has the strongest effect on ′ , followed by CEC, whereas ′′ is mainly determined by CEC. In a single-site approach, WC followed by CEC had a dominant effect on ′ . No clear correlation could be observed between (i) DD and peat properties and (ii) DD and ′ or ′′ . This is because of the complex changes in properties with increasing DD.