Laboratory experiments on drought and runoff in blanket peat

摘要: Summary Global warming might change the hydrology of upland blanket peats in Britain. We have therefore studied laboratory experiments impact drought on peat from North Pennines UK. Runoff was dominated by surface and near-surface flow; flow decreased rapidly with depth differed one type cover to another. Infiltration depended intensity rain, runoff responded around 50% rainwater emerging as overland flow. Drought changed structure subsequent behaviour response rain. Surface reduced, infiltration increased within deeper layers. Old new water produced during simulated storms identified bromide tracing; amount old mobile flushed out top few centimetres small there less No significant difference mixing processes could be between control plots treatment plots. Lissamine staining showed preferential bypass through macropores peat, though only 5 cm. Following drought, however, macroporosity upper layers, extended than controls. Peat recovered somewhat after but effects were long-lasting. If these extend field drier summers then we can expect changes associated chemistry catchments British uplands.