STUDIES ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WATER MOVEMENT AND WATER CHEMISTRY IN MIRES

Abstract

Fifty-four sites were selected in a number of mires in Ontario, and rates of water movement were measured on a number of occasions. The rates of water movement ranged from less than 0.1 cm sec⁻¹ to over 8 cm sec⁻¹. The oxygen concentration of the mire waters increased with increasing flow rate, approaching saturation at rates over 1 cm sec⁻¹. From a model it was shown that at a flow rate of less than 0.3–0.4 cm sec⁻¹ the diffusion of oxygen into the water would be similar to simple diffusion into a stationary water surface, and because of the respiration of roots and microorganisms in the peat, the oxygen would tend to be depleted. Above flow rates of 0.4 cm sec⁻¹ the water is agitated, and is continually replenished with oxygen from the atmosphere. Reduced states of iron and manganese were shown to be in solution at concentrations greater than 0.1 mg/1 only at low rates of water flow. The pH was also shown to increase with faster rates of water movement, the increase depending on the base status of the mire. Aluminium is in solution only in situations of low water movement where more acidic conditions are prevalent.