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Comparison of field techniques for sampling soil solution in an upland peatland
Author(s) -
Reynolds B.,
Stevens P.A.,
Hughes S.,
Brittain S.A.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
soil use and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.709
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1475-2743
pISSN - 0266-0032
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-2743.2004.tb00397.x
Subject(s) - lysimeter , peat , dissolved organic carbon , soil water , environmental science , macropore , environmental chemistry , hydrology (agriculture) , potassium , hydraulic conductivity , soil science , chemistry , geology , ecology , mesoporous material , biochemistry , geotechnical engineering , biology , catalysis , organic chemistry
. Results from recent studies of peatland biogeochemistry suggest that appropriate soil water sampling techniques are required in order to advance our understanding of peatland soil systems. In a comparative field experiment, concentrations of inorganic solutes and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were measured in soil water extracted at a depth of 10 cm beneath the surface of deep peat by three techniques: zero‐tension (z‐t) lysimeters, PTFE suction samplers, and polysulfone suction samplers. The majority of solute concentrations were broadly similar, but mean concentrations of silicon, DOC, iron and aluminium in water extracted by z‐t lysimeters and PTFE samplers were in ratios of 1:5; 1:2; 1:5 and 1:3 respectively. Mean conductivity and concentrations of chloride and hydrogen ion were significantly larger in the z‐t lysimeter samples, which had sodium, potassium and magnesium to chloride ratios that were very similar to local rainfall. The z‐t lysimeters appeared to sample macropores preferentially, while the suction samplers collected micropore water.