Hydraulic Conductivity of Peats

Boelter, Don H.

doi:10.1097/00010694-196510000-00001

Cited by 163 publications

(98 citation statements)

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“…In natural peatlands, the large pore structure of the acrotelm contributes to a high water storage capacity (Boelter, 1968), particularly specific yield, which aids in limiting water table fluctuations to the near surface (Price, 1996). Hydraulic conductivity in the acrotelm is also high and generally decreases with depth (Boelter, 1965). In contrast, the catotelm is the lower and deeper layer that is permanently saturated containing highly decomposed organic material.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since catotelmic peat is degraded and consists of smaller pores, less water can be drained through gravity, resulting in low specific yield therefore higher water retention. Hydraulic conductivity is also low; however, porosity can remain high due to the number of smaller pores within the peat (Boelter, 1965). Consequently, the structural differences of the acrotelm and the catotelm are important in determining the storage of water in peatlands (Romanov, 1968).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Moisture dynamics and hydrophysical properties of a transplanted acrotelm on a cutover peatland

Cagampan

Waddington

2007

Hydrological Processes

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Abstract:The natural carbon storage function of peatland ecosystems can be severely affected by the abandonment of peat extraction, influencing peatland drainage, leading to large and persistent sources of atmospheric CO 2 . Moreover, these cutover peatlands have a low and variable water table position and high tension at the surface, creating harsh ecohydrological conditions for vegetation re-establishment, particularly peat forming Sphagnum moss. Standard restoration techniques aim to restore the peatland to a carbon accumulating system through various water management techniques to improve hydrological conditions and by reintroducing Sphagnum at the surface. However, restoring the hydrology of peatlands can be expensive due to the cost of implementing the various restoration techniques. This study examines a peat extraction-restoration technique where the acrotelm is preserved and replaced directly on the cutover peat surface. An experimental peatland adopting this acrotelm transplant technique had both a high water table and peat moisture conditions providing sufficient water at the surface for Sphagnum moss. Average water table conditions were higher at the experimental site ( 8Ð4 š 4Ð2 cm) compared to an adjacent natural site ( 12Ð7 š 6Ð0 cm) suggesting adequate moisture conditions at the restored surface. However, the experimental site experienced high variability in volumetric moisture content (VMC) in the capitula zone (upper 2 cm) where large diurnal changes in VMC (¾30%) were observed, suggesting possible disturbance to the peat matrix structure during the extraction-restoration process. However, soil-water retention analysis and physical peat properties (porosity and bulk density) suggest that no significant differences existed between the natural and experimental sites. Any structural changes within the peat matrix were therefore minimal. Moreover, low soil-water tensions were maintained well above the laboratory measured critical Sphagnum threshold of 33% ( 100 mb) VMC, further indicating favourable conditions for Sphagnum moss survival and growth.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Moisture dynamics and hydrophysical properties of a transplanted acrotelm on a cutover peatland

Cagampan

Waddington

2007

Hydrological Processes

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“…Even smaller rates were reported by Knight Boelter (1965), Paivanen (1973), Clymo (1983) and Chason and Siegel (1986 (Kay and Goit 1977;Ingram 1983;Neuzil 1986 For personal use only.…”

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confidence: 80%

“…Concurrently, efforts were made to understand the methods and effects of drainage to enhance peatland productivity (Walker 1952;Huikari 1963;Boelter 19721, l+hti 1977). Hydraulic conductivity (K) was recognized as a crucial hydraulic variable that determines water movement through organic soils (Boelter 1965Romanov 1968Paivanen 1973: Rycroft etal. 19751' Chason andSiegel 1986 (Carter 1986;Chason and Siegel 1986 (Bay 1969 (Eng 1979 (Dooge 1975;Ingram 1983;Hemond and Goldman 1985).…”

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confidence: 99%

Hydraulic Characteristics of Four Peatlands in Minnesota

Gafni¹,

Brooks²

1990

Can. J. Soil. Sci.

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“…Peats are clas si fied as ex hib it ing extremely high vol a til ity of ba sic pa ram e ters (mois ture con tent and ash con tent (Ac), di rectly af fect ing the val ues of den sity and po ros ity) which may also re sult in high vol a til ity of hy drau lic con duc tiv ity within in di vidual peatlands (Ingram, 1978;Hobbs, 1986). Hy drau lic con duc tiv ity of fen peats var ies within a very wide range of 10 -10 to 10 -3 m/s, de pend ing on the di rec tion of fil tra tion, type and de gree of de com po si tion of peat, and depth (Boelter, 1965;Hobbs, 1986;Hoag and Price, 1995;Beckwith et al, 2003a, b;Rizutti et al, 2004), as well as on the re search meth od ol ogy ap plied (Dai and Spar ling, 1973). In ad di tion, hy drau lic con duc tiv ity of peats may be sub jected to sea sonal vari a tions due to the in flu ence of ground wa ter fluc tu a tion on shrink age and de gree of de com posi tion (Ken nedy and Price, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variability of horizontal hydraulic conductivity of fen peats from eastern Poland in relation to peatlands as natural geological barriers

Rydelek

Bąkowska

Zawrzykraj

2014

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This pa per pres ents the test re sults of hor i zon tal hy drau lic con duc tiv ity (k) of fen peats from east ern Po land. Three fen peatlands in the Lubartów Pla teau (3 ob jects marked as LP1, LP2 and LP3) and two in the Siedlce Pla teau (2 ob jects marked as SP1 and SP2) have been se lected. The ob jects rep re sent a val ley bog type and are sim i lar in peat thick ness, but dif fer ent in area size. They also vary in terms of bo tanic com po si tions and ba sic phys i cal and chem i cal pa ram e ters of peats. BAT permeameter was used for in situ mea sure ments of hor i zon tal hy drau lic con duc tiv ity. Hor i zon tal hy drau lic con duc tiv ity of the peats var ies from 1.3 ´ 10 -8 to 1.1 ´ 10 -6 m/s. The low est val ues of hor i zon tal hy drau lic con duc tiv ity were ob served for silted (high-ash) car bon ate peats and amor phous or pseudo-fi brous peats, while the high est val ues were ob served for unsilted (low-ash) non-car bon ate peats of fi brous struc ture. The anal y sis of vari abil ity of hor i zon tal hy drau lic con duc tiv ity showed that the low est val ues were ob served in each case for the bot tom of the stud ied pro file. The study al lowed to in di cate the specific ar eas within the peatlands dif fer ing in per me abil ity, and iden tify the role of in di vid ual ob jects as nat u ral geo log i cal bar riers.Key words: hy drau lic con duc tiv ity, nat u ral geo log i cal bar ri ers, peat, val ley bog.

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Hydraulic Conductivity of Peats

Cited by 163 publications

References 0 publications

Moisture dynamics and hydrophysical properties of a transplanted acrotelm on a cutover peatland

Moisture dynamics and hydrophysical properties of a transplanted acrotelm on a cutover peatland

Hydraulic Characteristics of Four Peatlands in Minnesota

Variability of horizontal hydraulic conductivity of fen peats from eastern Poland in relation to peatlands as natural geological barriers

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