Particle densities of wetland soils in northern Alberta, Canada

Abstract

Particle density is a fundamental soil physical property, yet values of soil and organic matter particle density (ρ s and ρ o ) vary widely in the literature. We measured particle density of organic soils from five wetland types, and from exposed sediments of drying ponds, in northern Alberta, Canada. Our measured values of organic soil and pond sediment ρ s varied widely (1.43–2.39 Mg m -3 ); however, calculated values of ρ o (1.34–1.52 Mg m -3 ) were relatively constant. The measured and calculated ρ s and ρ o values were similar to those obtained in published studies using similar methods, but were higher than the values provided in many reference texts. Given the relatively small variability in ρ o , the use of mean values of ρ o , combined with measurements of organic matter loss-on-ignition, shows promise as a simple method for obtaining reliable estimates of ρ s across a range of wetland types. Key words: Particle density, peat, organic matter, wetland soil, loss-on-ignition