Hydraulic conductivity and water retention in peat soils

Abstract

The present investigation is a part of a larger study of the optimum water relation- ships of drained peat soils with regard to tree growth. The study was started in 1965 in the Department of Peatland Forestry, University of Helsinki. My role in the solution of the problems involved has been to assess the basic hydrologic properties of various peat soils. The results obtained from the partial studies concerning the hydraulic conductivity and water retention capacity of peat are presented in this paper. Prof. LEO HEIKURAINEN, in his capacity as project leader, entrusted me with this part of the total project, and he closely followed the progress of my work. Acting Prof. KUSTAA SEPPÄLÄ, Dr. EERO PAAVI- LAINEN, Dr. PAAVO ELONEN and Mr. ERKKI AHTI, B.SC. (Forestry), read the manuscript, making numerous suggestions for its im- provement. Thanks to Dr. JUHANI SARASTO'S positive attitude toward my work, I was able to carry out the field work required at the Forest Training Station of the Uni- versity of Helsinki. Both in the field and in the laboratory I was assisted by many persons. Computing was planned in co- operation with Mr. JUKKA LAINE. Trans- lation of the Finnish manuscript was done by Mr. KARL-JOHAN AHLSVED, B.SC. (Fo- restry), and the English manuscript was checked by Mr. JOHN DEROME, B.SC. In the fall of 1970, I made a study tour to the U.S.A., supported by a grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. Here 1 had an excellent opportunity to make my- self acquainted with the methodology em- ployed and the equipment used in the study of the physical properties of peat in a number of research organizations. With regard to the present work I wish to mention, in particular, Dr. DON BOELTER, U. S. Forest Service, North Central Forest Ex- periment Station, Northern Conifers Labo- ratory, Grand Rapids, Minn., for his valu- able direction. The National Research Council for Agri- culture and Forestry and the Foundation for Research of National Resources in Fin- land made it economically possible to carry out this study. I wish to express my sincere thanks to all the persons and institutions mentioned, and to the Society of Forestry in Finland, which accepted the study for publication in its series.