The dynamic balance between organic acids and circumneutral groundwater in a large boreal peat basin

Siegel, Donald I.; Glaser, Paul H.; Sø, Jonas Stage; Janecky, David R.

doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2005.07.046

Cited by 45 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 44 publications

(75 reference statements)

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“…Sphagnum is considered an important source of acidity in bog waters (Siegel et al 2006). It has long been suggested that the acidifying capability of Sphagnum stems from its high cation-exchange capacity, because of the considerable amounts of polyuronic acids in the tissue (e.g., Clymo 1964;Clymo and Hayward 1982;Van Breemen 1995).…”

Section: Acidity (Ph)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has long been suggested that the acidifying capability of Sphagnum stems from its high cation-exchange capacity, because of the considerable amounts of polyuronic acids in the tissue (e.g., Clymo 1964;Clymo and Hayward 1982;Van Breemen 1995). However, more rigorous geochemical studies strongly suggest that organic acids are the primary acidifying agent in bogs (Gorham et al 1986;Reeve et al 1996;Glaser et al 2004;Siegel et al 2006). Organic acids are believed to result from humification of Sphagnum (Hemond 1980), leading to a local decrease in mire water pH (Bragazza et al 1998).…”

Section: Acidity (Ph)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Linking habitat modification to catastrophic shifts and vegetation patterns in bogs

et al. 2007

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Paleoecological studies indicate that peatland ecosystems may exhibit bistability. This would mean that these systems are resilient to gradual changes in climate, until environmental thresholds are passed. Then, ecosystem stability is lost and rapid shifts in surface and vegetation structure at landscape scale occur. Another remarkable feature is the commonly observed self-organized spatial vegetation patterning, such as string-flark and maze patterns. Bistability and spatial selforganization may be mechanistically linked, the crucial mechanism being scale-dependent (locally positive and longer-range negative) feedback between vegetation and the peatland environment. Focusing on bogs, a previous model study shows that nutrient accumulation by vascular plants can induce such scale-dependent feedback driving pattern formation. However, stability of bog microforms such as hummocks and hollows has been attributed to different local interactions between Sphagnum, vascular plants, and the bog environment. Here we analyze both local and longer-range interactions in bogs to investigate the possible contribution of these different interactions to vegetation patterning and stability. This is done by a literature review, and subsequently these findings are incorporated in the original model. When Sphagnum and encompassing local interactions are included in this model, the boundaries between vegetation types become sharper and also the parameter region of bistability drastically increases. These results imply that vegetation patterning and stability of bogs could be synergistically governed by local and longerrange interactions. Studying the relative effect of these interactions is therefore suggested to be an important component of future predictions on the response of peatland ecosystems to climatic changes.

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Section: Acidity (Ph)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Acidity (Ph)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Linking habitat modification to catastrophic shifts and vegetation patterns in bogs

et al. 2007

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“…Most research has focused on C sequestration and GWP potential with much less on alkalinity and acidity production and consumption. Improving the understanding of peatland alkalinity cycling and its role in acidification is important because it has been linked to acid recovery in a number of lakes in North America and Europe (Evans et al 2001;Aherne et al 2006), as well as peatland succession (Gorham et al 1984;Vitt and Chee 1990;Siegel et al 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…, K ? ) concentrations and bicarbonate (HCO 3 -) alkalinity, resulting in circumneutral pH (pH = 6-8) (Siegel et al 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alkalinity and acidity cycling and fluxes in an intermediate fen peatland in northern Ontario

McLaughlin

Webster

2009

Biogeochemistry

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Peatlands are important to global carbon (C) sequestration and surface water acid-base status, both of which are affected by peatland alkalinity and acidity cycling. Relationships among sulfate (SO 4 2-), nitrate (NO 3 -), organic acids (OA -), base cations (i.e., Ca 2? , Mg 2? , K ? , and Na ? ), proton (H ? ) acidity, and bicarbonate (HCO 3 -) alkalinity were investigated in an intermediate fen peatland in northern Ontario during 2004 (an average precipitation year) and 2005 (a dry summer). Potential evapotranspiration was higher and the water table, groundwater input from the uplands, and runoff were lower during 2005. Net inputs of base cations, HCO 3 -, SO 4 2-, and OA -, and to a lesser degree NO 3 -, were lower during the drier year, mainly due to lower groundwater transfer to the fen. Fen porewater HCO 3 -concentration and net output were also lower in the drier year, whereas Ca 2? , Mg 2? , and SO 4 2-concentrations and net output were higher. During the climatically average year, N immobilization, carbonic acid (H 2 CO 3 ) dissociation, and OA dissociation were equally important H ? -producing reactions. Peat cation exchange accounted for 50% of the H ? sink, while SO 4 2-reduction and denitrification accounted for an additional 20 and 25% of the H ? sink, respectively. During the dry year, S oxidation accounted for 55% of the H ? net production, while that for H 2 CO 3 dissociation was 70% lower than that during the climatically average year. Peat cation exchange consumed three times the acidity, and accounted for 92% of the H ? consumption during the dry year compared to the climatically average year. This was consistent with a three-fold higher net base cation export from the fen during the dry year. Based on the study results, a conceptual model was developed that describes the role of acidity formation and its implications to intermediate fen acidification.

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“…The gradient is reflected by the chemistry of peatland pore waters, with ombrotrophic bogs having dilute acidic surface waters solely derived from precipitation and acidified by the production of organic acids from decaying Sphagnum, whereas waters from minerotrophic fens have higher cation concentrations and alkalinity due to groundwater inputs (e.g. Clymo 1983 Gorham et al 1985;Siegel et al 2006). The CIC includes hydrologic classes for bogs (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of a wetland classification system devised for management in a region with a high cover of peatlands: an example from the Cook Inlet Basin, Alaska

Gracz

Glaser

2016

Wetlands Ecol Manage

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Several wetland classification schemes are now commonly used to describe wetlands in the contiguous United States to meet local, regional, and national regulatory requirements. However, these established systems have proven to be insufficient to meet the needs of land managers in Alaska. The wetlands of this northern region are predominantly peatlands, which are not adequately treated by the nationally-used systems, which have few, if any, peatland classes. A new system was therefore devised to classify wetlands in the rapidly urbanizing Cook Inlet Basin of southcentral Alaska, USA. The Cook Inlet Classification (CIC) is based on seven geomorphic and six hydrologic components that incorporate the environmental gradients responsible for the primary sources of variation in peatland ecosystems. The geomorphic and hydrologic components have the added advantage of being detectable on remote sensing imagery, which facilitates regional mapping across large tracts of inaccessible terrain. Three different quantitative measures were used to evaluate the robustness and performance of the CIC classes relative to that of other commonly used systems in the contiguous United States. The high within-group similarity of the classes identified by the CIC was clearly superior to that of the other systems, demonstrating the need for improved wetland classification systems specifically devised for regions with a high cover of peatlands.

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The dynamic balance between organic acids and circumneutral groundwater in a large boreal peat basin

Cited by 45 publications

References 44 publications

Linking habitat modification to catastrophic shifts and vegetation patterns in bogs

Linking habitat modification to catastrophic shifts and vegetation patterns in bogs

Alkalinity and acidity cycling and fluxes in an intermediate fen peatland in northern Ontario

Evaluation of a wetland classification system devised for management in a region with a high cover of peatlands: an example from the Cook Inlet Basin, Alaska

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