Peatland interstitialwater chemistry in relation to that of surface pools along a peatland mineral gradient
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| Authors: | Bendell-Young, L |
| Year: | 2003 |
| Journal: | Water Air and Soil Pollution 143: 363-375 |
| Title: | Peatland interstitialwater chemistry in relation to that of surface pools along a peatland mineral gradient |
| Abstract: | The elemental (including silica (Si), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe)) and nutrient composition of peatland surface pools and concentrations of Ca, Mg, Mn, and Fe in peat interstitial waters and surface peat concentrations of oxides of Mn and Fe were determined for 15 peatlands sampled along a mineral gradient. Surface pool concentrations of Si were ca. ten fold less in surface pools of mineral-poor peatlands than in the mineral rich, supporting the use of this element as an indicator of minerotrophic influence in peatlands. Principle component analysis of surface pool water chemistry parameters differentiated mineral-poor and moderately-poor peatlands from mineral-rich peatlands based on the concentrations of Ca, Mg and alkalinity of pools. Several lines of evidence indicated that peatland interstitial waters were important contributors to peatland alkalinity and included; (1) maximum interstitial water concentrations of Ca and Mg correlating with overlying surface pool alkalinity, (2) a negative correlation between interstitial water Ca:Mg ratios and surface pool concentrations of Si and (3) Ca:Mg ratios of moderately-poor to mineral-poor peatland interstitial waters approaching the Ca:Mg ratio of rainwater rather than those of bedrock. Interstitial water concentrations of dissolved Mn and Fe correlated with amounts of reducible Fe and Mn (oxides of Fe and Mn) recovered from the peat/water interface indicating that groundwater inputs are important sources of these two elements to fens. As a consequence, for peatlands that are not truly ombrotrophic, groundwater inputs of Mn and Fe may interfere with interpreting peat metal profiles thought to be due to anthropogenic inputs alone. |
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