Differential peat deformation, compressibility, and water storage between peatland microforms: Implications for ecosystem function and development

Because peat is elastic, the daily to seasonal swelling and shrinking of the peat surface not only affects water storage but also alters peatland hydraulics and the biogeochemical and thermal properties of peat. Due to different botanical origins and degrees of decomposition, we hypothesized that different peatland microforms (ridges and lawns) display a large variation in peat deformation and compressibility. Here we examined the spatial …