TY  - GEN
A1  - Gabriel, Marvin
A1  - Toader, Camelia
A1  - Faul, Franziska
A1  - Rosskopf, Niko
A1  - Grundling, Piet-Louis
A1  - Van Huyssteen, Cornelius W.
A1  - Grundling, Althea T.
A1  - Zeitz, Jutta
T1  - Physical and hydrological properties of peat as proxies for degradation of South African peatlands
BT  - Implications for conservation and restoration
T2  - Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe
N2  - The physical and hydrological properties of peat from seven peatlands in northern Maputaland (South Africa) were investigated and related to the degradation processes of peatlands in different hydrogeomorphic settings. The selected peatlands are representative of typical hydrogeomorphic settings and different stages of human modification from natural to severely degraded. Nineteen transects (141 soil corings in total) were examined in order to describe peat properties typical of the distinct hydrogeomorphic settings. We studied degree of decomposition, organic matter content, bulk density, water retention, saturated hydraulic conductivity and hydrophobicity of the peats. From these properties we derived pore size distribution, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and maximum capillary rise. We found that, after drainage, degradation advances faster in peatlands containing wood peat than in peatlands containing radicell peat. Eucalyptus plantations in catchment areas are especially threatening to peatlands in seeps, interdune depressions and unchannelled valley bottoms. All peatlands and their recharge areas require wise management, especially valley-bottom peatlands with swamp forest vegetation. Blocking drainage ditches is indispensable as a first step towards achieving the restoration of drained peatland areas, and further measures may be necessary to enhance the distribution of water. The sensitive swamp forest ecosystems should be given conservation priority.
T3  - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 1103 
KW  - moorsh forming process
KW  - swamp forest
KW  - restoration
KW  - unsaturated hydraulic conductivity
Y1  - 2021
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-470514
SN  - 1866-8372
IS  - 1103
ER  -