Water‐level dynamics in natural and artificial pools in blanket peatlands

摘要: Perennial pools are common natural features of peatlands, and their hydrological functioning turnover may be important for carbon fluxes, aquatic ecology, downstream water quality. Peatland restoration methods such as ditch blocking result in many new pools. However, little is known about the function either pool type. We monitored six artificial on a Scottish blanket peatland. Pool levels were more variable all seasons having greater level increases faster recession responses to storms than Pools overflowed by median 9 54 times volume per year pools, respectively, but this varied widely because some large had small upslope catchments vice versa. Mean peat water-table depths similar between sites much over time at site, possibly due lower bulk specific yield across site. pool-level fluctuations not same those local tables adjacent peat. Pool-level series smoother, with damped rainfall or tables. There strong hydraulic gradients absolute often being 20–30 cm higher only 1–4 m away. conductivity was very low (median 1.5 × 10−5 1.4 10−6 s−1 30 50 site), there deep subsurface flow interaction. conclude that (a) projects, larger total surface area likely smaller flood peaks downstream, least during summer months, peatland will greater; (b) near-surface connectivity storm events topographic context, rather size alone, must taken into account future stream chemistry studies.