Peat deformation and biogenic gas bubbles control seasonal variations in peat hydraulic conductivity

Abstract The hydraulic conductivity ( K ) of peat beneath the water table varies over short (annual) periods. Biogenic gas bubbles block pores and reduce K , and seasonal changes in the water table position cause peat deformation, altering peat pore size distribution. Although it has been hypothesized that both processes reduce K during warm dry summer conditions, temporal variations in K under field conditions have been explained previously …