Peatlands of the Western Guayana Highlands, Venezuela

Ch1 Introduction O. Huber, J.A. Zinck Ch2 Tropical and subtropical peats: an overview J.A. Zinck 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Peat extent and distribution 2.3 Peat formation and development 2.4 Features of peats and peatlands 2.5 Peat classification 2.6 Peat and peatland as resources 2.7 Conclusion 2.8 References Ch3 The Guayana region and the study areas: geo-ecological characteristics O. Huber, P. Garc??a 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Geology and paleoecology 3.3 Physiography, climate, and vegetation 3.4 Study areas 3.5 Conclusions 3.6 References Ch4 Tepui peatlands: setting and features J.A. Zinck, P. Garc??a 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Rock substratum 4.3 Geomorphic landscape 4.4 Peatland types 4.5 Peatland patterns 4.6 Conclusions 4.7 References Ch5 Laboratory methods for characterization of peat materials R. Schargel, P. Garc??a, D. Jim??nez 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Criteria used for the recognition of organic soils in the Soil Taxonomy 5.3 Laboratory methods specific for organic soils 5.4 Testing laboratory methods on selected Venezuelan Histosols 5.5 Laboratory determinations performed on the Guayana Histosols 5.6 Conclusions 5.7 References Ch6 Properties and classification of the tepui peats P. Garc??a, R. Schargel, J.A. Zinck 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Morphological features 6.3 Physical properties 6.4 Chemical properties 6.5 Spatial variations 6.6 Taxonomic classification 6.7 Conclusions 6.8 References Ch7 Tepui peatlands: age record and environmental changes J.A. Zinck, P. Garc??a, J. van der Plicht 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Sampling and dating method 7.3 Site description and age record 7.4 Interpretations and correlations: peat formation and environmental changes 7.5 Conclusions 7.6 References Ch8 Origin of organic matter leading to peat formation in the southeastern Guayana uplands and highlands E. Medina, E. Cuevas, O. Huber 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Site description 8.3 Results: relationship between 13C values and peat age 8.4 Discussion 8.5 Conclusion 8.6 References Ch9 Synthesis: the peatscape of the Guayana Highlands J.A. Zinck 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Why do peatlands and peats matter? 9.3 Setting and formation of the peatlands: the peatscape 9.4 Morphological, physical, chemical and taxonomic characteristics of the peats 9.5 Vegetation of the peatlands: present and past 9.6 Environmental changes: diachronic inception and polygenetic evolution of peats 9.7 The highland-lowland connection: a system approach 9.8 Concluding remark App Site and profile characteristics A.1 Introduction A.2 Site and profile descriptions A.3 Laboratory data