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Solute movement in drained fen peat: a field tracer study in a Somerset (UK) wetland
Author(s) -
Baird Andrew J,
Gaffney Simon W
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
hydrological processes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.222
H-Index - 161
eISSN - 1099-1085
pISSN - 0885-6087
DOI - 10.1002/1099-1085(20001015)14:14<2489::aid-hyp110>3.0.co;2-q
Subject(s) - peat , tracer , wetland , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental science , geology , geography , archaeology , ecology , geotechnical engineering , physics , nuclear physics , biology
Little is known about solute transport in peats, despite the obvious importance of solute transport on eco‐hydrological processes in both managed and natural peatlands. To address this lack of knowledge, we investigated solute transport processes in an agricultural fen peat using a conservative KBr tracer. The main aim of the study was to elucidate solute transport behaviour in general in this peat, with a more specific aim of investigating whether preferential or bypassing flow occurred. The tracer moved through the peat more rapidly than expected, and the pattern of movement showed clear evidence of plot‐scale bypassing flow. The data also provide evidence that bypassing flow occurs in pores at smaller scales. The implications of this study for management of wetland pastures in the Somerset Moors in south‐west England are discussed. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.