Recording relative water table depth using PVC tape discolouration: Advantages and constraints in fens

Question: Recognizing water table dynamics in wetlands is crucial for understanding species-environment relationships, ecosystem function and changes during restoration. The PVC tape discolouration method enables spatially and temporally extensive studies of reductive conditions associated with long...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied vegetation science 2005-05, Vol.8 (1), p.21-26
Main Authors: Navrátilová, Jana, Hájek, Michal
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bamboos
Fens
Mathematical minima
Monitoring
Peat
Peat hydrology
Peat soils
Redox
s
Vegetation
Water depth
Water level
Water tables
Wetland
Wetland ecology
Wetlands
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Summary:Question: Recognizing water table dynamics in wetlands is crucial for understanding species-environment relationships, ecosystem function and changes during restoration. The PVC tape discolouration method enables spatially and temporally extensive studies of reductive conditions associated with long-term water table dynamics in peat soils. The reliability of the method has been verified only for ombrotrophic bogs, even though wide usage can be expected in minerotrophic fens. Location: Třeboň basin, Czech Republic. Methods: Using data from 49 plots in six poor and moderately rich fens, we correlated the directly measured lowest, highest and mean water table depths and the same variables indicated by discolouration of PVC tape attached to green bamboo stakes installed vertically in the soil profile. Results: The depth to the first sign of PVC discolouration was highly correlated with the directly measured position of the highest water table, the correlation between the depth of complete discolouration and the directly measured position of the lowest water table was poorer. The accuracy of the minimum water table measurement depended on the depth of the peat layer. Surprisingly, the depth at which the green bamboo stakes turned brown correlated highly with the minimum water table. Conclusions: The PVC tape discolouration method reliably indicates water table maxima in fens, but minima are not accurately indicated. The depth of the green bamboo discolouration is suggested as a new alternative indicator of the minimum water table, even in fens and mineral soils. Combining both methods enables efficient monitoring of water table dynamics at a large number of mire sites. Nomenclature: Kubát et al. (2002) for vascular plants; Kučera & Váňa (2003) for bryophytes. Abbreviations: HV = Height of vegetation; MWT = Mean water table; WTD = Water table depth.
ISSN:1402-2001
1654-109X
DOI:10.1658/1402-2001(2005)008[0021:RRWTDU]2.0.CO;2