Peat Soil

Smouldering combustion is the driving phenomenon of wildfire in peatlands, like those causing haze episodes in Southeast Asia and Northeast Europe. These are the largest fires on Earth and an extensive source of greenhouse gases, but poorly understood, becoming an emerging research topic in climate-change mitigation. In this work, a series of multistep heterogeneous kinetics are investigated to describe the drying and decomposition in smouldering combustion of peat. The decomposition schemes cover a range of complexity, including 2, 3 or 4-step schemes, and up to 4 solid pseudo-species. The schemes aim to describe the simultaneous pyrolysis and oxidation reactions in smouldering fires. The reaction rates are expressed by Arrhenius law, and a lumped model of mass loss is used to simulate the degradation behaviour seen during thermogravimetric (TG) experiments in both nitrogen and air atmospheres. A genetic algorithm is applied to solve the corresponding inverse problem using TG data from the literature, and find the best kinetic and stoichiometric parameters for four types of boreal peat from different geographical locations (North China, Scotland and Siberia). The results show that at the TG level, all proposed schemes seem to perform well, with a high degree of agreement resulting from the forced optimization in the inverse problem approach. The chemical validity of the schemes is then investigated outside the TG realm and incorporated into a 1-D plug-flow model to study the reaction and the species distribution inside a peat smouldering front. Both lateral and in-depth spread modes are considered. The results show that the drying sub-front is essential, and that the best kinetics is the 4-step decomposition (one pyrolysis, and three oxidations) plus 1-step drying with 5 condensed species (water, peat, α-char, β-char, and ash). This is the first time that the smouldering kinetics and the reaction-zone structure of a peat fire are explained and predicted, thus helping to understand this important natural and widespread phenomenon.

Kinneret (Serruya and Berman, 1976), the only freshwater lake in Israel, which provides 25% of the country's An understanding of P transformations in altered wetlands has drinking water, relatively little is known on the geochemmainly developed from temperate and humid regions with neutral to acidic soils. Little is known regarding downstream water quality impact istry of P in these peat soils. of P transformations in semiarid wetlands that undergone repeated Other effects of the drainage of the Hula Wetland were cycles of drying and rewetting. The P geochemistry was studied using rapid oxidation of OM and continuous internal conflathe Hedley fractionation scheme in the altered peat soils of the Hula gration of the oxidized peat soils, leading to subsidence Valley, Israel. The peat soils were sampled according to the peat (approximately 2 m below the original surface) that indepth and redox potential characteristics. The mean total P concentraduced partial reflooding of the drained area. To reverse tion (P t) in the surface peat horizons (1190 Ϯ 300 mg kg Ϫ1) was some of the negative consequences of the drainage of significantly higher than in the anaerobic (E H Ͻ Ϫ220 mV) peat layers Lake Hula and the surrounding wetlands, a small 100-(650 Ϯ 260 mg kg Ϫ1). The concentrations of P in all fractions except the most labile P were significantly higher in the aerobic (E H ϭ 400 ha lake (Agmon) was engineered in 1994, covering the mV) peat layers. The predominant extractable fractions in the surface least agriculturally productive peat soils in the Hula peat horizons were CaP extracted by 1 M HCl (21-60% of P t), Iron-Valley (Fig. 1). The creation of the new lake and the P extracted by 0.5 M NaOH (11-41% of P t), and residual P extracted elevation of the water table in the center of the Hula by H 2 SO 4 (20-40% of P t). The source of the Ca in the CaP fraction Valley by at least 60 cm (Tsipris and Meron, 1998) have was mainly from gypsum dissolution following the rewetting cycles. transformed the relatively dry oxidized peat soils to The results clearly showed that the drainage of these wetlands faciliwet and anaerobic soil environs. Current management tated rapid organic matter (OM) oxidation, release of organically bound metals and P followed by sesquioxides and gypsum precipita-protocol for the valley calls for relatively high ground tion. These geochemical transformations enhanced the P t concentrawater level, which ensured that the rewetting of the tion per mass of altered peat soil and changed the P distribution oxidized peat soils would continue indefinitely. This reamong the different pools. Most of the P is currently associated with wetting practice may increase P discharge into Lake Kin-Fe oxides and hydroxides and/or coprecipitated with Ca. neret, which in turn may enhance eutrophication. Hence, an understanding of the dynamics of P in the altered peat soils of the Hula Valley is required to improve man-M.I. Litaor, Dep. of Biotechnology and Environmental Sciences, Telfacilitate the foundations for testing the premise that Hai College, Upper Galilee 12210, Israel; O. Reichmann, A. Haim, long-term rewetting of the peat soils will eventually

centrations in surface water increased, seemingly as a direct consequence of drainage and oxidation of Zn Due to geochemical processes, peat soils often have elevated consulfides (Cannon, 1955). The maximum Zn concentracentrations of trace elements, which are gradually released following tion in drainage water was 11 mg L Ϫ1 , with concentradrainage for agriculture. Our objectives were to use incubation temtions in aboveground plants as high as 10 g kg Ϫ1 . The peratures to vary microbial activity in two metalliferous peats (M7 acidic peat and M3 neutral peat) from the Elba, New York region, high concentration of Zn in drainage water is a threat and to use periodic leaching to assess the extent of trace element to surface and ground water quality, and has raised release from these soils. Dried soils were mixed with glass beads to concern about other toxic trace elements (e.g., Cd) that maintain aeration, moistened, and incubated at 4, 16, 28, and 37؇C in may be present in the peat and released in soluble forms.

Soil moisture governs many biogeochemical processes in peatlands. Modeling of those processes relative to climate and anthropogenic influences requires knowledge of the basic hydraulic properties of different peat soils in a function form. Water retention of undisturbed surface peat samples, collected at four depths at each of 38 undrained and drained pine {Pinna sylvestris L.) mire sites, was measured for suction pressures of -0.98, -3.10, -6.19, -9.81, -98.1, and -1554.25 kPa. The obtained data were used to test several well-known water retention models commonly applied to mineral soils. The most suitable model was found to be van Genuchten's model if the residual water content was omitted. Peat characteristics were used to explain the variation in the model's shape parameters. Accounting for the remains of Sphagnum, Carex, Eriophorum, and lignin and the distinction between shallow and deep peat layers considerably improved the moisture retention predictions compared with using bulk density only. The different behavior of the shallow vs. the deep peat layers was mainly attributed to the Sphagnum and lignin residues, but not to the Carex residues. We developed a semiempirical model with only one shape parameter, which was clearly better explained by the peat characteristics than the two shape parameters of the van Genuchten model. We recommend that for statistical investigations or investigations requiring a robust model, the semiempirical model be used. The van Genuchten model is to be preferred in predicting the moisture conditions near saturation.

Regions of temperate oceanic climate have historically represented a challenge for the application of satellite-based multi-temporal SAR interferometry. The landscapes of such regions are commonly characterized by extensive, seasonally-variable vegetation coverage that can cause low temporal coherence and limit the detection capabilities of SAR imagery as acquired, for instance, by previous ERS-1/2 and ENVISAT missions. In this work, we exploited the enhanced resolution in space and time of the recently deployed Sentinel-1A/B SAR satellites to detect and monitor ground motions occurring in two study areas in the Republic of Ireland. The first, is a ~1800 km2 area spanning the upland karst of the Clare Burren and the adjacent mantled lowland karst of east Galway. The second, is an area of 100 km2 in Co. Meath spanning an active mine site. The available datasets, consisting of more than 100 images acquired in both ascending and descending orbits from April 2015 to March 2018, were pro...

Problem statement: Application of urea as a source of nitrogen fertilizer has an adverse effect on ammoniacal loss to the environment. This study was conducted to reduce ammonia loss from urea by mixing with Humic Acids (HA) isolated from Saprists peat. Approach: The effects of urea amended with four different amounts of humic acids, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00 g were evaluated in laboratory conditions using a closed dynamic air flow system. The mineral soil that was used as medium for the study was Bekenu series (typic paleudults). Amnonia loss, soil pH, exchangeable ammonium, available nitrate, exchangeable K, Ca, Mg and Na were determined using standard procedures. Results: All the treatments with HA significantly reduced ammoinia loss compared to urea alone. Increasing the amount of HA also significantly retained soil exchangeable ammonium and available nitrate. Treatments with HA had no significant effect on the concentrations of Mg, K and Ca, except for Na. The effect of HA in the mixtures on ammonia loss was related to their effect on the formation of ammonium over ammonia. Conclusion: Surface-applied urea fertilizer efficiency could be increased when coated with 1.00 g of HA.

Forest drainage is recognized as a means of improving soil conditions for tree growth, but it may also have environmental impacts. This article presents the 5-y time trend of soil and surface water quality observed in a drainage experiment conducted in a black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) peatland of eastern Québec, Canada, using the paired watershed approach. Nutrient content of peat soil water was enhanced by drainage. The effect was generally proportional to ditch closeness for S and Mg, while increases of N, Na, K and Ca were mainly observed within 5 m of the ditches, even though high levels of K and Ca were occasionally observed at 15-m distance. Drainage increased and sustained summer low flows by 25% through a 80 m 3 d Ϫ1 increase of base flow on the 8 ha basin. The concentration of suspended sediments significantly increased and exceeded acceptable limits for aquatic organisms only during ditching and during the peak flows of the following weeks. No effect on suspended sediments was detected during the spring following ditching but an increase was observed during a storm 2 y after ditching. Drainage modified the basin outflow temperature fluctuations by lowering the average weekly minimum and increasing the maximum, by 2ЊC and 7ЊC, respectively. Water temperature increases to 25ЊC or more at the outlet of the drained basin were above the preferred range for brook trout. The treatment significantly increased specific conductivity of surface water, which was clearly related to increases in mineral N (NH 4 ϩ NO x ), Ca, Mg, Na and S concentrations. However, conductivity and the increased nutrient concentrations remained within the acceptable criteria for aquatic organisms. Drainage also produced a pH increase of one unit, a result attributed to increased runoff from the upland part of the treated watershed. No effect related to drainage was found for Zn, Fe and Al contents. ᭧

This briefing highlights the difficulties of standard triaxial compression testing of fibrous peat and representing its
behaviour in a Mohr–Coulomb framework. Experimental values of effective angle of shearing resistance, phi', and apparent cohesion, c', reported in the literature for fibrous peat are scrutinised, from which the authors conclude that high phi' values determined from triaxial compression testing can be grossly unconservative. Furthermore, given that shearing in a peat which is not completely humified involves tearing of entangled fibres and cellular connections in addition to shearing at frictional contacts, the authors postulate that the apparent cohesion value of fibrous peat is most likely greater than zero. Hence fundamental research on peat strength and how it is derived needs to be performed; also there needs to be further development of existing and new specific material models to simulate more accurately the soft and viscous nature of peat, and the general cross-anisotropic fabric and reinforcement
provided by fibres in peats with low humification.

Abstrak Indonesia memiliki lahan gambut terluas di antara negara tropis, yaitu sekitar 21 juta ha, yang tersebar terutama di Sumatera, Kalimantan dan Papua (BB Litbang SDLP, 2008). Sebagian besar lahan gambut masih berupa tutupan hutan dan menjadi habitat bagi berbagai spesies fauna dan tanaman langka. Kandungan karbon yang relatif tinggi, maka dapat berperan sebagai penyimpan karbon. Mempertahankan karbon dalam tanah dan tanaman menjadi isu lingkungan sangat penting karena konsentrasi karbon di udara berpengaruh terhadap pemanasan global. Namun demikian, cadangan karbon dalam tanah gambut bersifat labil, jika kondisi alami lahan gambut mengalami perubahan atau terusik maka gambut sangat mudah rusak. Beberapa faktor pendorong terjadinya kerusakan di lahan gambut antara lain adalah kebakaran lahan, pembuatan saluran drainase dan pengelolaan lahan. Pendahuluan Tanah gambut adalah tanah jenuh air yang tersusun dari bahan tanah organik, yaitu sisa-sisa tanaman dan jaringan tanaman yang melapuk dengan ketebalan lebih dari 50cm (Wahyunto et al., 2005). Analisis laboratorium bahan organik dinyatakan dalam kadar karbon 12 – 18% atau lebih. Makin tinggi kadar karbon, bahan organik dapat dikatakan masih segar, sedangkan makin kecil kadar karbon maka bahan organik makin lanjut pelapukannya dan disebut dengan humus (Noor, 2001). Lahan gambut adalah kawasan dengan unsur pembentuk tanahnya sebagian besar berupa sisa-sisa bahan organik yang tertimbun dalam waktu lama. Lahan gambut merupakan bagian dari sumberdaya alam yang mempunyai fungsi untuk pelestarian sumberdaya air, peredam banjir, pencegah intrusi air laut, pendukung berbagai kehidupan/keanekaragaman hayati, pengendali iklim dan sebagainya. Gambut terbentuk di lingkungan yang jenuh air sehingga kadar air tanah gambut di lapangan berkisar antara 100 – 1300% dari berat kering gambut (Mutalib et al.,1991). Karena kadar air yang tinggi, maka secara fisik tanah menjadi lembek dan daya menahan beban (bearing capacity) menjadi rendah (Nugroho et al., 1995; Widjaja Adhi, 1995) serta berat volume (bulk density)-nya rendah. BD tanah gambut lapisan atas bervariasi antara 0,1 sampai 0,3g/cm 3 tergantung pada tingkat dekomposisi gambut dan kadar mineral. Volume gambut akan menyusut bila lahan gambut didrainase, sehingga terjadi penurunan permukaan tanah (subsidence). Selain karena penyusutan volume, subsiden juga terjadi karena adanya proses dekomposisi dan erosi. Sifat fisik tanah gambut lainnya adalah sifat mengering tidak balik. Gambut yang telah mengering, dengan kadar air <100% (berdasarkan berat), tidak bisa menyerap air lagi jika dibasahi.

Peat-based mixes and synthetic mats are the main substrates used for microgreens production. However, both are expensive and non-renewable. Recycled fibrous materials may represent low-cost and renewable alternative substrates. Recycled textile-fiber (TF; polyester, cotton and polyurethane traces) and jute-kenaf-fiber (JKF; 85% jute, 15% kenaf-fibers) mats were characterized and compared with peat and Sure to Grow® (Sure to Grow, Beachwood, OH, USA; http://suretogrow.com) (STG; 100% polyethylene-terephthalate) for the production of rapini (Brassica rapa L.; Broccoletto group) microgreens. All substrates had suitable physicochemical properties for the production of microgreens. On average, microgreens fresh yield was 1502 g m(-2) in peat, TF and JKF, and was 13.1% lower with STG. Peat-grown microgreen shoots had a higher concentration of K(+) and SO4 (2) (-) and a two-fold higher NO3 (-) concentration [1959 versus 940 mg kg(-1) fresh weight (FW)] than those grown on STG, TF and JKF. At harvest, substrates did not influence microgreens aerobic bacterial populations (log 6.48 CFU g(-1) FW). Peat- and JKF-grown microgreens had higher yeast-mould counts than TF- and STG microgreens (log 2.64 versus 1.80 CFU g(-1) FW). Peat-grown microgreens had the highest population of Enterobacteriaceae (log 5.46 ± 0.82 CFU g(-1) ) and Escherichia coli (log 1.46 ± 0.15 CFU g(-1) ). Escherichia coli was not detected in microgreens grown on other media. TF and JKF may be valid alternatives to peat and STG because both ensured a competitive yield, low nitrate content and a similar or higher microbiological quality. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Organic soils represent a substantial pool of carbon in Denmark. The need for carbon stock assessment calls for more rapid and effective mapping methods to be developed. The aim of this study was to compare traditional soil mapping with maps produced from the results of a mobile VIS/NIR system and to evaluate the ability to estimate TOC and map the area of organic soils. The Veris mobile VIS/NIR spectroscopy system was compared to traditional manual sampling. The system is developed for in-situ near surface measurements of soil carbon content. It measures diffuse reflectance in the 350 nm-2200 nm region. The system consists of two spectrophotometers mounted on a toolbar and pulled by a tractor. Optical measurements are made through a sapphire window at the bottom of the shank. The shank was pulled at a depth of 5-7 cm at a speed of 4-5 km/hr. 20-25 spectra per second with 8 nm resolution were acquired by the spectrometers. Measurements were made on 10-12 m spaced transects. The syst...

Peatlands are dynamic eco-hydrological wetland systems, increasingly under threat worldwide due to natural and anthropogenic effects, including large-scale drainage and oxidation, causing their subsidence and ecological deterioration. In Europe, the requirements for conservation, restoration and long-term sustainability of degraded active bog have been accentuated by more stringent environmental policy and legislation. This paper describes how peat bunds (dams), strategically constructed at affected areas around the bog margins, can gradually re-establish the natural peatland hydrology and peat-forming vegetation through collection, storage and controlled release of surface runoff from the high bog. For geotechnical stability, the translational-type slip failure was identified as the critical case. The analysis must account for drying out of the compacted peat during drought periods and ensuing increases in lateral and uplift hydraulic pressures and seepage pressures generated follo...

The effects of wood-ash fertilisation on tree stands, soil characteristics and ground vegetation were studied on a drained pine mire in Finland (64°51′N, 26°04′E, 62 m a.s.l.). The original site type was a treeless, mesotrophic Sphagnum papillosum fen. The site was drained in 1933 and the wood-ash fertilisation experiment was started in 1947. The treatments were: (i) unfertilised, (ii) wood-ash 8 t ha−1, and (iii) wood-ash 16 t ha−1.Drainage and ash application had radical and long-lasting consequences on the biological activity on the site and the vegetation compartments studied. The understorey vegetation had been profoundly affected by the ash with almost complete transformation of the species and other life forms. Even 50 years after the ash treatment the changes in vegetation/site type and the tree stand were clearly visible. On the unfertilised plot, the biomass of ground vegetation consisted mostly of mosses and dwarf shrubs, but on the ash-treated plots it consisted mostly of herbs and grasses typical of upland forests.Ash treatment had promoted stem volume growth of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) substantially and for a long time. The total wood production on the ash plots during 1947–1994 was 13 and 17 times over that of the control plot. Unfertilised pine trees suffered from P and K deficiency throughout the study period. The concentrations of some plant nutrients (P, K) decreased during the past years on Ash8. No nutrient shortage afflicting the tree stand was observed on Ash16 during the study period.Ash application has also led to increased concentration of nutrients in the peat. A sizeable proportion of the mineral nutrients applied were still in the 0–20 cm peat layer. On the ash-treated plots the amount of soil nitrogen (0–20 cm) was 18 and 29 times and the amount of soil phosphorus 9 and 13 times over the amount bound by the tree stand and the ground vegetation (Ash8 and Ash16, respectively). The stock of potassium was generally small in the surface peat—only 60–90% of the amount of potassium bound in the tree stand and the ground vegetation.It was concluded that wood-ash had powerfully influenced the biological processes in surface peat. The decomposition of cellulose was significantly accelerated by both ash treatments. Ash fertilisation also increased the emissions of CO2. The intensified decomposition rate in the litter, vegetation and peat explained to a large extent the accelerated growth of the Scots pine stands studied.

... John Couwenberg • Annett Thiele • Franziska Tanneberger • Jürgen Augustin • Susanne Bärisch • Dimitry Dubovik • Nadzeya Liashchynskaya • Dierk Michaelis • Merten Minke • Arkadi Skuratovich • Hans ... Indifferent species (Ellen-berg value = X) were excluded from calculation ...

Tropical peatlands have an important role in the global carbon cycle. In order to quantify carbon stock for peatland management and conservation, the knowledge of the spatial distribution of peat and its depth is essential. This paper proposed a cost-effective and accurate methodology for mapping peat depth and carbon stocks in Indonesia. The method, based on the scorpan spatial soil prediction function framework, was tested in Ogan Komering Ilir, South Sumatra and Katingan, Central Kalimantan. A peat hydrological unit, where a peatland is bounded by at least two rivers, is defined as the mapping area or extent. Peat depth is modelled as a function of topography and spatial position. Four machine learning models were evaluated to model and map peat depth: Cubist regression tree, Random Forests (RF), Quantile Regression Forests (QRF) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). Covariates representing topography and spatial position were derived from the 1 arc-second digital elevation model (DEM) of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) (resolution of 30.7 m). The spatial models were calibrated from field observations. For model calibration and uncertainty analysis, the k-fold cross validation approach was used. Three models: Cubist, Random Forests, and Quantile Regression Forests models showed excellent accuracies of peat depth prediction for both areas where the coefficient of determination values range from 0.67 to 0.92 and root mean squared error (RMSE) values range from 0.6 to 1.1 m. ANN showed inferior results. In addition, QRF and Cubist showed the best account of the uncertainty of prediction, in terms of percentage of observations that fall within the defined 90% confidence interval. In terms of the best predictor, elevation comes first. Using the spatial prediction functions, peat depth maps along with their 90% confidence interval were generated. The estimated mean carbon stock for Ogan Komering Ilir is 0.474 Gt and for Katingan is 0.123 Gt. Our estimate for Ogan Komering Ilir is twice larger than a previous study because we mapped the peatland hydrological unit, while the previous study only delineated peat domes. Finally, we recommend a sampling method for peat depth mapping using numerical stratification of elevation to cover both the geographical and covariate space. We expect that the combination of an improved sampling strategy, machine learning models, and kriging will increase the accuracy of peat depth mapping.

Purpose An experiment was conducted to assess the ability of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC), peat, perlite and vermicompost (VC) to improve the growth of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.), an important horticultural commodity, in hydroponic culture. Methods Organic matter, when used as a substrate, can affect tomato cultivar 'Grandella' plant growth. In this study, we studied the effect of MSWC, either composted by earthworms (VC), or in an uncomposted form, as well as conventional substrates peat and perlite, on tomato growth when incorporated into hydroponic culture. Growth and physiological attributes were assessed at the fruiting stage. Results Among several ratios of MSWC, peat, perlite and VC, VC with 25 % compost increased the number of red fruits in the harvest period significantly more than the control. The use of VC, peat and perlite increased root fresh and dry weight, root volume, mean photosynthesis, and the number of fruits at all physiological stages compared to the control. Conclusion Vermicompost can improve tomato growth physiology when used as one part of the substrate in hydroponic culture.

This paper reviews the impacts of the development of palm oil production that has contributed to it being an unsustainable industry and will discuss possible ways of making the industry more sustainable, placing emphasis on the palm oil production in Indonesia and references to Malaysia as these two neighbouring Southeast Asian countries export about 85% of the total global palm oil in today’s market.
This paper will begin by giving a brief overview of the expansion of the palm oil industry as well as the stakeholders involved in the production of palm oil. After that, this paper will introduce the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and its role in governing the palm oil industry. The impacts of palm oil production will be classified into three, namely: GHG emissions, environmental impacts as well as social impacts.

Regions of temperate oceanic climate have historically represented a challenge for the application of satellite-based multi-temporal SAR interferometry. The landscapes of such regions are commonly characterized by extensive, seasonally-variable vegetation coverage that can cause low temporal coherence and limit the detection capabilities of SAR imagery as acquired, for instance, by previous ERS-1/2 and ENVISAT missions. In this work, we exploited the enhanced resolution in space and time of the recently deployed Sentinel-1A/B SAR satellites to detect and monitor ground motions occurring in two study areas in the Republic of Ireland. The first, is a ~1800 km 2 area spanning the upland karst of the Clare Burren and the adjacent mantled lowland karst of east Galway. The second, is an area of 100 km 2 in Co. Meath spanning an active mine site. The available datasets, consisting of more than 100 images acquired in both ascending and descending orbits from April 2015 to March 2018, were processed by using the Permanent Scatterer approach. The obtained results highlight the presence of small-scale ground motions in both urban and natural environments with displacement rates along the satellite line of sight up to −17 mm/year. Localized subsidence was detected in recently built areas, along the infrastructure (both roads and railways), and over the mine site, while zones of subsidence, uplift, or both, have been recorded in a number of peatland areas. Furthermore, several measured target points indicate the presence of unstable areas along the coastline. Many of the detected movements were previously unknown. These results demonstrate the feasibility of adopting multi-temporal interferometry based on Sentinel-1 data for the detection and monitoring of mm-scale ground movements even over small areas (<100 m 2) in environments influenced by temperate oceanic climate.

According to neo-institutional economics, markets are shaped by man-made rules and practices that determine market efficiency. Departing from this hypothesis, the dissertation examines how the organisation of commodity markets contributed to the rapid commercialisation of the county of Holland in the late Middle Ages. It discusses market institutions, their origins and their effects, and draws comparisons between Holland, Flanders and England. The reclamation of Holland’s extensive peatlands in the 11th to 13th centuries had given rise to a society characterised by a balanced relation between state and towns, weak seignorial power, a near absence of urban coercion over the countryside, and a limited role of guilds. This affected the organisation of commodity markets in several ways. In comparison to England, the control over trade exerted by the state and the nobility was weak. To be sure, in England royal and seignorial control had given commercialisation an early start. It allowed...

Drainage for forestry purposes increases the depth of the oxic peat layer and leads to increased growth of shrubs and trees. Concurrently, the production and uptake of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) change: due to the accelerated decomposition of peat in the presence of oxygen, drained peatlands are generally considered to lose peat carbon (C). We measured CO 2 exchange with the eddy covariance (EC) method above a drained nutrient-poor peatland forest in southern Finland for 16 months in [2004][2005]. The site, classified as a dwarf-shrub pine bog, had been ditched about 35 years earlier. CH 4 and N 2 O fluxes were measured at 2-5-week intervals with the chamber technique. Drainage had resulted in a relatively little change in the water table level, being on average 40 cm below the ground in 2005. The annual net ecosystem exchange was −870 ± 100 g CO 2 m −2 yr −1 in the calendar year 2005, indicating net CO 2 uptake from the atmosphere. The site was a small sink of CH 4 (−0.12 g CH 4 m −2 yr −1 ) and a small source of N 2 O (0.10 g N 2 O m −2 yr −1 ). Photosynthesis was detected throughout the year when the air temperature exceeded −3 • C. As the annual accumulation of C in the above and below ground tree biomass (175 ± 35 g C m −2 ) was significantly lower than the accumulation observed by the flux measurement (240 ± 30 g C m −2 ), about 65 g C m −2 yr −1 was likely to have accumulated as organic matter into the peat soil. This is a higher average accumulation rate than previously reported for natural northern peatlands, and the first time C accumulation has been shown by EC measurements to occur in a forestry-drained peatland. Our results suggest that forestry-drainage may significantly increase the CO 2 uptake rate of nutrient-poor peatland ecosystems.

Road construction in peatlands is challenging. The ability to make rapid estimates of the response of construction soils derived from natural peats to changes in water content is useful for pavement and geotechnical engineers. This paper details some laboratory test results on peat soils sourced from two sites in the Southwest of England. The samples were sieved and the roots and natural fibres removed prior to laboratory testing. Water contents on the natural specimens were determined. The percentage of roots in the samples was determined. The thread rolling test was used to estimate the plastic limit of the peat soil material. A series of fall cone tests were conducted at varying moisture contents to determine the liquid limit of the peat soil as well as study the variation of fall cone undrained shear strength with the liquidity index, logarithmic liquidity index and the water content ratio. Both the liquidity index and logarithmic liquidity index are able to predict the fall cone undrained strength to within ± 40% around 90% of the time. When using the water content ratio to predict the fall cone undrained shear strength an accuracy of ± 40% is achieved around 85% of the time. The study concludes that the liquidity index and logarithmic liquidity index are better predictors of fall cone undrained shear strength but the water content ratio approach may be preferred if the engineer is less confident in plastic limit determination for peat soils.

Moorböden sind CO2-Speicher, deren Potential oft nicht bedacht wird. Viele Moorflächen wurden, etwa zum Zweck agrarischer Nutzung, inzwischen trockengelegt und sind daher gar nicht oder manchmal nur unvollständig erfasst. Da trockene Moore zu CO2-Quellen werden, ist es wichtig, deren Ausmaß zu kennen.

Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, dazu beizutragen, ausgewählte Flächen im Bezirk Kufstein, die früher einmal Moore gewesen sind und zu anderweitiger Nutzung umgewandelt wurden, aber noch immer einen erheblichen Torfkörper aufweisen, zu erheben. Dazu werden in einem theoretischen Teil die geowissenschaftlichen Grundlagen der Moorlandschaften sowie deren Entstehung und Typologie dargelegt werden und ebenso die Verbreitung von Mooren im Untersuchungsgebiet Bezirk Kufstein besprochen.

Weiters wird der anthropogene Einfluss auf Moore zum einen direkt, durch Maßnahmen wie Entwässerung, Torfabbau oder Nutzung für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, zum anderen indirekt, durch die Auswirkungen des anthropogenen Klimawandels auf Moore, aufgezeigt. In diesem Zusammenhang ist es umgekehrt wiederum notwendig, auch die daraus resultierenden Effekte ausgetrockneter Moore auf das Klima zu diskutieren.

Lösungsansätze und Alternativen zur Regeneration beziehungsweise nachhaltigen Nutzung im Sinne des Moorschutzes werden vorgestellt, um den Themenkomplex zu ergänzen. Diese beinhalten etwa Wiedervernässung oder Paludikulturen, die diesen sensiblen Feuchtgebieten wieder zur Entwicklung eines intakten Ökosystems verhelfen sollen.

Diese Arbeit dient zum Teil als Grundlage für weitere Forschungen, welche im Zuge des Projektes TiMo (Tiroler Moore) des Instituts für Geographie an der Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck durchgeführt werden

This paper presents the engineering properties and compressibility behavior of various types of tropical peat soil collected from several locations in Malaysia. These soils represented fibric, hemic and sapric type of tropical peat with organic content ranging from 70% to 90%. The correlations of the various basic engineering properties of the tropical peat soils have been found to be close and new equations have been established. Loss on ignition (Organic Content) appears to be a very useful parameter for the peat. It correlates well with the natural water content, liquid limit, density and specific gravity. Compressibility behavior of various type of peat soil was measured using Rowe Cell consolidation test for accuracy and conventional oedometer test for comparison purpose. Compressibility index Cc and Cα was identified as two crucial parameters to estimate settlements in peat soil. Parametric study has been carried out at the end of the study to foresee the effect of surcharge on fibric, hemic and sapric peat ground. Based on the results obtained, it shows that fibric peat recorded the highest settlement followed by hemic and sapric peat with increase in consolidation pressure.

Lahan gambut merupakan lahan yang tersusun oleh tanah hasil dekomposisi sisa-sisa vegetasi yang tergenang air yang terus memupuk lama sehingga membentuk lapisan yang tebalnya lebih dari 50 cm. Lahan gambut banyak terdapat pada kawasan rawa, cekungan, pesisir pantai, maupun daerah jenuh air lainnya. Fungsi lahan gambut diantaranya ialah sebagai penahan banjir, penyedia  air di musim kemarau, penyimpan cadangan karbon, dan tempat tumbuhnya hutan sebagai tempat tinggal berbagai satwa.

Provinsi Riau dan Kepulauan Riau memiliki luas total 9,9 juta hektar dan terletak di kawasan pantai timur Sumatera. Salah satu kondisi yang meningkatkan eksistensi wilayah ini ialah keberadaan lahan gambut yang luas. Namun pemanfaatan dan pengelolaan lahan gambut di daerah tersebut menjadi kurang maksimal. Hal ini disebabkan karena kurangnya pengetahuan dan wawasan masyarakat mengenai kegunaan lahan gambut serta persebaran lahan gambut. Dengan hasil citra satelit landsat 5, 7, dan 8, diolah dengan metode Supervised (analisa tutupan lahan dan klasifikasinya berdasarkan hasil citra dan kombinasi Band), dan NDVI (Normalized difference Vegetation Index), menggunakan software ENVI 5.1, didapatkan hasil klasifikasi jenis tanah dan tutupan lahan. Dengan luas lahan gambut 3,8 juta hektar atau lebih dari sepertiga luas keseluruhan Provinsi Riau dan Kepulauan Riau. Hanya sekitar 30% yang dimanfaatkan sebagai perkebunan. Sementara sebagian besar dari lahan gambut di daerah tersebut merupakan hutan rawa. Dengan memetakan kondisi lahan yang ada di Provinsi Riau dan Kepulauan Riau yang dibagi menjadi 5 kelas ("Tidak Kritis", "Potensial Kritis", "Agak Kritis", "Kritis", "Sangat Kritis"), terbukti bahwa sebagian besar lahan yang ada di Provinsi Riau dan Kepulauan Riau merupakan wilayah agak kritis dan kritis yang membuktikan bahwa pengelolaan lahan gambut di wilayah ini masih kurang baik. Kumpulan seluruh informasi tersebut disusun menjadi sebuah peta kesesuaian lahan dengan metode overlay yang dilakukan dalam software ArcMap sehingga menjadi sebuah peta panduan bagi masyarakat agar dapat memanfaatkan lahan gambut dengan maksimal.

Kata Kunci: ArcMap, Gambut, NDVI, Riau, Supervised

The potential of variable tire pressure technology to minimize distress on flexible pavements with thin asphalt surfacing layers and peat soil subgrade was evaluated using in-situ stress-strain data. Pavement interfacial strains and corresponding subgrade stresses imposed by a three-axle truck were measured and used to estimate the fatigue life of the surfacing layer. Three levels of truck wheel loads in combination with four tire inflation pressures (350, 490, 630, and 770 kPa) were used to evaluate the potential distress by the single steering wheel and rear dual wheels in tandem. Results suggest that lateral strain due to the single steering wheel is the most critical to fatigue failure, which is influenced by the viscoelastic nature of asphalt, and therefore truck speed and axle configuration are important. Lower tire pressures increased the fatigue life of the surfacing layer with respect to the rear dual wheels and the steering wheel by up to 200 and 300%, respectively. Haulage trucks with systems for managing variable tire pressure such as the central tire inflation systems may therefore enhance the serviceability of pavements overlying peat or other soft soil foundations.

In 2003, we published the first list of termites (20 species) from an ex-felled peat soil oil palm plantation located to the northeast of Endau Rompin National Park. In this paper we present an annotated checklist from the same site based on collections of a decade (October 2001 to October 2011). The list provided here was generated from collections using various sampling methods in addition to only transect method where the first list was made. We can be certain that a total of 35 species of termites from five functional taxonomic groups can be found at this site. Status of the species from the initial list were revised and updated. The current list suggested that the total number of species known so far from a single oil palm plantation site converted from peat

This paper presents a review of the main constitutive models for peat and other highly organic soils having extremely high water content. At present, predictions of the geomechanical behaviour of such soils for design practice are mostly based on constitutive theories developed for fine-grained mineral soils. Concepts of primary consolidation and secondary compression as applied to peat are explained using the two-level structure assumption of micropores and macropores. As background, the historical development of consolidation hypotheses A&B regarding the concepts of primary consolidation and secondary compression is reviewed for both mineral and organic soils. Based on microscopic examinations and in-situ testing, it is generally accepted that hypothesis B is more suitable for peat. The micro-mechanical rheological model proposed by Berry and Poskitt and the isotache-compression model developed by den Haan were reported to have good agreement with experimental laboratory results for fibrous and amorphous peats. Attention is given to the structural anisotropy of peat material, inherent by its fibrous nature, in these constitutive frameworks.

Construction on peat deposits represents a major challenge for the geotechnical community. Waterlogged peat deposits have great potential for buoyancy generation. The premise of the present investigation is that this can be beneficially incorporated in foundation design practice, thereby reducing the net bearing pressure and hence resulting settlements. A novel foundation system, comprising a bamboo frame (BF) structure incorporating recycled plastic block (RPB) inclusions, is presented for supporting lightweight structures bearing on peaty ground. The buoyancy effect is produced by the lower bulk density of the foundation construction materials combined with the waterlogged condition of the peat deposit. A programme of reduced-scale 1g physical modelling was conducted to investigate the performance of BF- and BF–RPB-type footing bearing on remoulded peat with different water content and fibre content (FC) values. The mobilised undrained bearing capacity (qf) increased for lower-watercontent and higher-FC peat materials. Deeper BF footings and the inclusion of the RPBs within their cavities significantly improved the mobilised qf value. Advantages of the presented foundation system over conventional solutions for peaty ground include its simple technology, reduced earthworks in construction, reduced settlement due to the buoyancy contribution and being more sustainable and economically viable.

The need for an ‘RSPO Manual on Best Management Practices (BMP) for
Management and Rehabilitation of Natural Vegetation Associated with Oil Palm Cultivation on Peat’ was included in the work plan of the RSPO Peatland Working Group (PLWG) after it was established in 2009. This Manual is dedicated to maintenance and rehabilitation of peat swamp vegetation in and around oil palm plantations on peat. It supplements the ‘RSPO Manual on Best Management Practices (BMP) for Cultivation of Oil Palm on Tropical Peat.’

Nitrate leaching from agricultural land leads to oxidiation of FeS x in FeS x -containing subsoils resulting in SO 2− 4 mobilisation. Pollution of the groundwater with SO 2− 4 causes a higher availability of o-PO 3− 4 , eutrophication and loss in biodiversity in groundwater fed fens with stagnating surface water. Under natural conditions, fens along the river Meuse are continuously fed by groundwater that besides SO 2− 4 mostly also contains high concentrations of NO − 3 and bivalent cations (Ca 2+ and mg 2+ ). During summer groundwater input is restricted resulting in periodic drought. Under these conditions no SO 2− 4 induced o-PO 3− 4 eutrophication occurs. Periodic drought and a high discharge of NO − 3 , have a strong effect on S and P biogeochemistry in sulphate-rich fens. NO − 3 inhibits SO 2− 4 reduction and concomitant o-PO 3− 4 mobilisation in fen sediments by being an energetically more favourable electron acceptor. In addition, NO − 3 is capable of oxidising reduced Fe compounds, including FeS x , increasing the amount of oxidised Fe in the sediment capable of binding o-PO 3− 4 . Periodic drought is important in reincreasing the concentration of oxidised Fe in the top layer of S-rich sediments preventing o-PO 3− 4 mobilisation and an undesirable vegetation development. Damming of surface water, in order te restore desiccated sulphate-rich fens, prevents periodic drought and decreases groundwater input. This leads to NO − 3 depletion, stimulation of SO 2− 4 reduction, Fe depletion, o-PO 3− 4 mobilisation and, in contrast to what was hoped for, in massive growth of algae, lemnids and fast growing wetland grasses. Therefore discharge of NO − 3 -rich groundwater and the fluctuation of the water table are vital for succesful restoration of desiccated sulphate-rich fens. Successful rewetting of these type of fens, without causing stagnation of surface water and without preventing periodic drought, can be achieved by raising the water table to levels below the potential groundwater table using a controllable dam.

The purpose of this paper is to advance the knowledge on peat soil stabilization by critically examining and documenting the current state of practice. Deep Mixing method is emphasised on column type techniques using lime/cement. This paper is essentially a comprehensive review of available academic literature on deep soil stabilization utilizing this approach. Deep mixing with lime or lime-cement column and combined soil stabilization with vertical columns (CSV) methods are discussed and to illustrate applications of these methods in a variety of conditions, several case histories are presented. © 2008 ejge.

ejge.com/2008/Ppr0860/Ppr0860.pdf

The paper presents the results of field studies testing the reaction of Eemian peats on the mechanical effect of standard measurement tools (CPT/CPTU, Marchetti dilatometer). Based on the collected undisturbed samples, macroscopic observations were made and SEM observations were conducted to identify the microstructural features. A fibrous structure and advanced diagenetic changes have been noted in the studied peats despite their relatively young age. These may have resulted from an exceedingly strong structural reinforcement, which causes that the studied sediments cannot be treated as low-bearing soils. Diagenetic processes caused farfetched changes of the mechanical properties, which is reflected e.g. in classification normograms. Standardized diagrams may lead to false conclusions. The presented studies of organic soils are an example of strong influence of structural features and diagenetic phenomena on the results obtained for native soils. At the same time, they imply particular caution in the interpretation of the substratum properties based only on the commonly used in situ tests. The values and variability of the collected parameters have been presented as frequency distributions. Additionally, the apparent character of the properties of preconsolidation parameters (OCR) has been shown.

1] Permafrost melting is occurring in areas of the boreal forest region where large amounts of carbon (C) are stored in organic soils. We measured soil respiration, net CO 2 flux, and net CH 4 flux during May-September 2003 and March 2004 in a black spruce lowland in interior Alaska to better understand how permafrost thaw in poorly drained landscapes affects land-atmosphere CO 2 and CH 4 exchange. Sites included peat soils underlain by permafrost at $0.4 m depth (permafrost plateau, PP), four thermokarst wetlands (TW) having no permafrost in the upper 2.2 m, and peat soils bordering the thermokarst wetlands having permafrost at $0.5 m depth (thermokarst edges, TE). Soil respiration rates were not significantly different among the sites, and 5-cm soil temperature explained 50-91% of the seasonal variability in soil respiration within the sites. Groundcover vegetation photosynthesis (calculated as net CO 2 minus soil respiration) was significantly different among the sites (TW > TE > PP), which can be partly attributed to the difference in photosynthetically active radiation reaching the ground at each site type. Methane emission rates were 15 to 28 times greater from TW than from TE and PP. We modeled annual soil respiration and groundcover vegetation photosynthesis using soil temperature and radiation data, and CH 4 flux by linear interpolation. We estimated all sites as net C gas sources to the atmosphere (not including tree CO 2 uptake at PP and TE), although the ranges in estimates when accounting for errors were large enough that TE and TW may have been net C sinks.

In the central part of the Netherlands, wetland restoration projects involve the rewetting of former agricultural land, where low water levels were artificially maintained (polders). Many of these projects do not result in the expected reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus availability and subsequent re-establishment of a diverse wetland vegetation. The aim of the present study was to investigate which mechanisms are responsible for this lack of success. Thereto, we studied the effect of rewetting of former agricultural grasslands on acidified peat soil (pH = 3.5) on organic matter decomposition, nitrogen cycling and phosphorus availability in the soil for three seasons. To provide an explanation for the observed effects, we simultaneously studied a set of potentially controlling abiotic soil conditions that were expected to change after rewetting. It was found that rewetting of these grasslands with natural, unpolluted seepage water did not affect nitrogen cycling, but raised decomposition rates and almost doubled phosphorus availability. The main cause of these effects is a raise of soil pH to about 7 due to the hydrochemical composition of the soil pore water after rewetting, which reflects groundwater with high amounts of buffering ions. This effect overruled any reduction in process rates by the lowered soil redox potential. The counterintuitive finding of eutrophication after rewetting with natural and unpolluted water is considered to represent a new form of internal eutrophication, triggered by the restoration of natural site conditions of former agricultural land on acid peat soil.

Palaeometallurgical activities in the Morvan: the contribution of pollen and geochemical analyses
Palaeoenvironmental research was carried out on three peat cores collected in the Morvan mid-level mountain (Burgundy, France), documenting early palaeometallurgical activities from the 2nd millennium BC . Pollen and geochemical analyses show contemporaneous clearings of forests in close connection with metallic contaminations. The comparison between each of the three sites shows that this kind of study in such an environment documents a local impact of paleometallurgy. Studying many sequences allows the reconstruction of the regional history of the Morvan Mountain. Thus, the Morvan could have been an ore-producing area since the beginning of the Bronze Age.

Peat is found in many countries throughout the world where it can be generally seen in thick layers in limited areas. Peat is an extreme form of soft soil and is considered problematic due to the low shear strength and large compressibility. This project presents laboratory finding on the compressibility and shear strength characteristics of fibrous peat with sand column. The peat used in the study is classified as fibrous peat and H 1 –H 4 in Von Post scale. Its liquid limit is 119%. In all tests, the peat used for the tests passing 2 mm and remain on .15 mm. The rounded sand used for making sand column is poorly graded passing from 2 mm sieve size and retaining on 1 mm sieve size. The tests conducted to investigate effect of area ratio of sand column on shear strength and compressibility of the peat. Three different area ratios were used for both compressibility and shear strength tests. Consolidation test results showed that when the area ratio increases compressibility characteristic of the peat improved. Shear strength of the organic soil was also affected from the sand column.

A field model study has been carried out to stabilise peat soil using various types of binder by deep mixing method and to investigate its effect on engineering properties. Some soil-cement model columns have been constructed at site and different mechanical properties of stabilised peat, like undrained shear strength, unconfined compressive strength and shear strength was determined after 14 days of curing time. Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) test were also conducted to observe the microstructure of stabilised peat soil. From the test result it was observed that the engineering properties of peat soil can be improved by stabilisation using additives.

Peat deposits comprise the fragmented remains of dead plant vegetation that have accumulated under waterlogged conditions. Effective stress theories developed for mineral soils are routinely applied in practice for peat, although there are fundamental issues regarding the application of conventional soil mechanics to peat, on account of its extremely high water content, fibrous nature, low shear strength and high compressibility, and also the flexible,
permeable and compressible nature of the porous organic solids. This paper presents an experimental study intended to contribute to the ongoing and increasing debate about the degree to which conventional soil mechanics approaches can be applied to peat. A programme of isotropic consolidated-drained triaxial compression tests was performed on saturated fibrous peat under the same effective confining pressure, but developed by applying different cell- and back-pressure combinations. Effects of mini-structure and fibre content on mechanical response were considered by testing undisturbed, reconstituted and refined (blended) peat materials. Similar volumetric strain–time and stress–strain–time responses experienced by identically prepared triaxial specimens were persuasive regarding the applicability of the principle of effective stress to peat, although there is no firm conclusion, since significant challenges occurred in performing these tests and in interpreting the data.

There have been few detailed studies into the tephrostratigraphy of southern Britain. We report the tephrostratigraphy of two sites, one in southern England (Rough Tor, Cornwall) and one in Wales (Cors Fochno, west Wales). Our study extends the known southernmost reach of Icelandic cryptotephra in northern Europe. Given the large distance between sites in southern England and eruptive sources (e.g. Iceland 1500-1700 km distant), most of the cryptotephra layers consist of sparse numbers of shards, even by the standards of distal tephrostratigraphy (as low as 3 shards cm À1 ), each layer spanning only 1 or 2 cm in depth. We identify multiple cryptotephra layers in both sites, extending the known distribution of several tephra layers including the MOR-T4 tephra ($AD 1000) most probably of Icelandic origin, and the AD 860 B tephra correlated to an eruption of Mount Churchill, Alaska. The two sites record contrasting tephrostratigraphies, illustrating the need for the inclusion of multiple sites in the construction of a regional tephrostratigraphic framework. The tephra layers we describe may provide important isochrons for the dating and correlation of palaeoenvironmental sequences in the south of Britain.

The objective of this research project was to find a potential replacement for the conventional pile foundation principally for peat soil. It is fundamentally meant for lightweight and impermanent agricultural farm structures. Preceding the design and development of the foundation the physical characteristics of the in-situ peat such as; peat depth, soil consolidation, soil compressibility, water table, liquid limit, soil moisture content, soil bulk density, loss on ignition, soil bearing capacity and soil shear strength were verified. Two types of foundation designs i.e. single shell and pad foundations were assessed. Both utilized Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) as the footing material. They were conceptually designed as floating foundation employing the weight compensation technique. The soil bearing capacity, soil shear strength, self-load and the lateral wind-load are factors taken into consideration in the footing design. The total design load was considered at 100 kg per foundation. The water table fluctuation, soil surface subsidence, the foundation vertical movement and its stability were constantly monitored. After a scheduled period, the foundations continue to stay intact.

Peat has been identified as one of major groups of soils found in Malaysia, where it covers about 3.0 million hectare or 8 % of the total area of Malaysia. The present study examines the feasibility of using a direct filtration of locally available peat for treating bathroom greywater. The peat was sampled in bulks, remoulded and pressed into a filter cake form, the peat mass was installed in a lab-scale reactor where a raw bathroom greywater percolated through it for 28 days. The raw and treated bathroom greywater was tested and compared for its quality parameter. Complementary one-dimensional consolidation and X-ray fluorescence analysis was carried out on the peat samples to monitor the physic-chemical elemental contents pre and post-filtration. After treated, pH of the greywater was improved from acidic 3.8 to neutral 6.1. The suspended solids were found in the treated water with the highest concentration of 501.33 mg/L. It was suggested the pre-treatment of some sand or gravel media can improve the efficiency for physical parameter. The treatment gave the BOD reduction of BOD5 up to 74%. It was found that the peat media can effectively improve the quality of the bathroom greywater. The one-dimensional compressibility test results showed negligible effect of the greywater chemistry on the inherent stiffness. The X-ray fluorescence analysis showed the post-filtration peat soil contained a marked reduction in Fe2O3 and increased of CaO. The clogging effect inadvertently transformed the peat soil into a more rigid mass, with potential for reuse as an agricultural soil bed.

Our study was carried out on three peat bogs that since the 1960s have been subjected to different degrees of anthropopression. The main objective of the research was assessment of heavy metal accumulation
potential in peat bogs and in leaves of species growing on these peat bogs, namely Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), birch (Betula pendula Roth), and wild rosemary (Ledum palustre L.). The concentrations of lead and cadmium in peat of Bagno Bruch (the Upper Silesian Industrial Region) exceeded the permissible levels for soils of protected natural areas. Heavy metal concentrations in plants growing in all analyzed sites show no toxic levels. Among the examined species, birch showed the highest ability to accumulate cadmium and zinc.

Different substrates have several materials which could have direct and/or indirect effects on plant growth and development. The use of different organic and inorganic substrates allows that plants have best nutrient uptake and sufficient growth and development to optimize water and oxygen holding. This work was carried out using a completely randomized design with six treatments and six replications. The treatments were pure palm peat, pure rice hull, soil + 5% (weight) palm peat, soil + 5% (weight) rice hull, soil + 5% (weight) palm peat + 5% (weight) rice hull and pure soil. During plant growth Papadopolus formula with fertigation method was used for nutrient solution. Selected physiochemical properties of culture media and selected growth indices of plants were measured at the end of growth period. Results showed that amount of porosity, water holding capacity (WHC) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) in date-palm peat was higher than soil and rice hull but amount of bulk density in date-Palm peat was lower than the others. Also The results showed that many growth parameters were affected by the culture media. Most amount of yield and plant height in each was related to palm waste (100%) and had significant difference at 5% level as compared with the others. Results showed that plant growing indices for cucumber plant were sufficient when cultured only in date Palm waste and rice hull substrates and when this materials were added to the soil, although it amended physiochemical properties of media but decreased the plant growing indices.