Peatlands of the Western Guayana Highlands, Venezuela

Properties and Paleogeographic Significance of Peats

By: Joseph Alfred Zinck (Editor), Otto Huber (Editor)

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Hardcover | 4 August 2011

At a Glance

Hardcover
295 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
23.5 x 15.5 x 1.91

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$264.27

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The Guayana Highlands in northeastern tropical America, rising from lowland rain forests and savannas up to 3000 m elevation, are characterized by ancient tablelands called tepuis. The peatlands that developed on the tepuis constitute unique and fascinating ecosystems and are the focus of this volume, which starts with an overview of tropical and subtropical peats, followed by an introduction to the geo-ecological features of the Guayana region as a whole, with special emphasis on the diversity of the vegetation cover from lowlands to uplands to highlands. The core subject centers on the properties and dating of the peat deposits and the interpretation of the chronological record in terms of past environmental changes. The well illustrated book will appeal to a broad range of scientists interested in tropical highland peats, including quaternarists, soil scientists, geomorphologists, geographers, geologists, ecologists, botanists, hydrologists, conservationists, and land use planners.

Industry Reviews

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"This book presents the results of fieldwork carried out in the western section of the Guayana Highlands between 1992 and 1996. ... The book has 9 chapters covering geology, geomorphology, vegetation and soils of the tepui summits (table mountains) of the Guayana Highlands of southern Venezuela ... . this book is a fascinating read and is recommended as a major source of information on a little known and hardly understood peatland ecosystem." (Jack Rieley, Erdkunde, Vol. 66 (4), 2012)

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Introduction	p. 1
References	p. 4
Tropical and Subtropical Peats: An Overview	p. 5
Introduction	p. 5
Peat Extent and Distribution	p. 5
Peats in Temperate and Boreal Regions	p. 6
Peats in Tropical and Subtropical Regions	p. 7
Peat Formation and Development	p. 9
Topography and Water Regime	p. 9
Source and Quality of Water	p. 10
Geodynamics	p. 11
Time and Rate of Formation	p. 12
Vegetation	p. 13
Peat and Climate Change	p. 14
Features of Peats and Peatlands	p. 15
Physical Peat Properties	p. 15
Chemical Peat Properties	p. 17
Biological Activity in Peats	p. 18
Characteristics of Peatlands	p. 19
Peat Classification	p. 19
Classifications Based on Landscape Features	p. 20
Classifications Based on Peat Properties	p. 20
Multicriteria Classifications	p. 21
Peat and Peatland as Resources	p. 22
Reclamation and Multipurpose Uses	p. 22
Carbon Storage and Potential Release of Greenhouse Gases	p. 23
Conclusion	p. 24
References	p. 25
The Venezuelan Guayana Region and the Study Areas: Geo-ecological Characteristics	p. 29
Introduction	p. 29
Geology and Paleoecology	p. 31
Geologic History	p. 31
Regional Geology	p. 35
Paleoecological Considerations	p. 37
Physiography, Climate, and Vegetation	p. 40
Lowlands	p. 42
Uplands	p. 48
Highland	p. 51
Study Areas	p. 59
Duida-Marahuaka Massif and Cerro Huachamakari	p. 61
Cuao-Sipapo Massif	p. 66
Sierra de Maigualida	p. 70
Conclusions	p. 75
Geologic History: The Making of a Continent	p. 75
Physiography	p. 76
Paleoecology	p. 76
Climate	p. 77
Vegetation	p. 78
References	p. 80
Appendix	p. 85
Tepui Peatlands: Setting and Features	p. 91
Introduction	p. 91
Rock Substratum	p. 91
Cover Rocks: The Roraima Group	p. 93
Basement Rocks: The Parguaza Granite and Other Igneous-Metamorphic Rocks	p. 97
Geomorphic Landscape	p. 97
Mesetas and Domes	p. 97
Karst and Pseudokarst Morphology	p. 99
Origin of the Micro-relief	p. 108
Peatland Types	p. 109
Depression Peats	p. 110
Slope Peats	p. 112
Narrow-Valley Peats	p. 112
Peatland Patterns	p. 113
Spatial Variability	p. 113
Stratification of the Peat Mantles	p. 118
Conclusions	p. 122
Physical Setting of Peatlands	p. 122
Peatland Types and Patterns	p. 122
References	p. 123
Laboratory Methods for Characterization of Peat Materials	p. 127
Introduction	p. 127
Criteria Used for the Recognition of Organic Soils in the Soil Taxonomy	p. 127
Laboratory Methods Specific for Organic Soils	p. 129
Sample Preparation	p. 130
Mineral Content	p. 130
Pyrophosphate Color	p. 130
Fiber Volume	p. 131
Soil Reaction (pH)	p. 132
Testing Laboratory Methods on Selected Venezuelan Histosols	p. 132
The Test Soils	p. 132
Laboratory Determinations	p. 132
Assessing the Tested Methods	p. 133
Laboratory Determinations Performed on the Guayana Histosols	p. 135
Soil Sampling	p. 135
Analytical Methods Applied	p. 136
Conclusions	p. 137
References	p. 138
Properties and Classification of the Tepui Peats	p. 144
Introduction	p. 141
Morphological Features	p. 142
Layer Types and Sequences	p. 143
Root Content	p. 147
Soil Color	p. 149
Drainage Conditions	p. 149
Physical Properties	p. 149
Dry Matter and Fiber Contents	p. 150
Mineral Content	p. 155
Bulk Density	p. 156
Field Water Content	p. 158
Chemical Properties	p. 159
Organic Matter Content	p. 159
Soil Reaction and Acidity	p. 165
Cation Exchange Capacity and Exchangeable Cations	p. 167
Nutrient Status and Dynamics	p. 170
Spatial Variations	p. 171
Relationships with Landscape Position	p. 171
Relationships with Rock Substratum	p. 173
Taxonomic Classification	p. 174
Organic Soils	p. 175
Organomineral Soils	p. 180
Conclusions	p. 182
Morphological Features	p. 182
Physical Properties	p. 183
Chemical Properties	p. 184
Soil Variability	p. 185
Soil Classification	p. 186
References	p. 186
Tepui Peatlands: Age Record and Environmental Changes	p. 189
Introduction	p. 189
Sampling and Dating Method	p. 189
Peat Sampling	p. 189
Radiocarbon Dating and Calibration	p. 190
Calibration Graphics	p. 191
Conventional and Calendar Ages	p. 193
Site Description and Age Record	p. 195
The Marahuaka-Huachamakari Area	p. 195
The Cuao-Sipapo Area	p. 199
The Maigualida Area	p. 206
Interpretations and Correlations: Peat Formation and Environmental Changes	p. 208
The Effect of Topography and Water Dynamics on Peat Formation	p. 208
The Effect of Geodynamics on Peat Formation	p. 210
Peat Age-Depth Relationship	p. 211
Rates of Peat Deposition and Depositional Gaps	p. 215
Peat Age-Elevation Relationship	p. 218
Peat Decomposition and Age	p. 219
Variations in Peat Nature	p. 221
The Fire Effect	p. 223
History of Peat Formation and Climate Change	p. 223
Indicators of Environmental Changes	p. 229
Fate of Tepuian Peats: A Vulnerable Ecosystem	p. 230
Conclusions	p. 232
Peat Formation and Dating	p. 232
Relationships	p. 233
References	p. 235
Origin of Organic Matter Leading to Peat Formation in the Southeastern Guayana Uplands and Highlands
Introduction	p. 237
Site Description	p. 238
Conclusions	p. 182
Morphological Features	p. 182
Physical Properties	p. 183
Chemical Properties	p. 184
Soil Variability	p. 185
Soil Classification	p. 186
References	p. 186
Tepui Peatlands: Age Record and Environmental Changes	p. 189
Introduction	p. 189
Sampling and Dating Method	p. 189
Peat Sampling	p. 189
Radiocarbon Dating and Calibration	p. 190
Calibration Graphics	p. 191
Conventional and Calendar Ages	p. 193
Site Description and Age Record	p. 195
The Marahuaka-Huachamakari Area	p. 195
The Cuao-Sipapo Area	p. 199
The Maigualida Area	p. 206
Interpretations and Correlations: Peat Formation and Environmental Changes	p. 208
The Effect of Topography and Water Dynamics on Peat Formation	p. 208
The Effect of Geodynamics on Peat Formation	p. 210
Peat Age-Depth Relationship	p. 211
Rates of Peat Deposition and Depositional Gaps	p. 215
Peat Age-Elevation Relationship	p. 218
Peat Decomposition and Age	p. 219
Variations in Peat Nature	p. 221
The Fire Effect	p. 223
History of Peat Formation and Climate Change	p. 223
Indicators of Environmental Changes	p. 229
Fate of Tepuian Peats: A Vulnerable Ecosystem	p. 230
Conclusions	p. 232
Peat Formation and Dating	p. 232
Relationships	p. 233
References	p. 235
Origin of Organic Matter Leading to Peat Formation in the Southeastern Guayana Uplands and Highlands
Introduction	p. 237
Site Description	p. 238
Highland Tepui Sites	p. 239
Upland Tepui Site	p. 240
Gran Sabana Upland Sites	p. 240
Results: Relationship Between ´13C Values and Peat Age	p. 240
Discussion	p. 242
Conclusion	p. 243
References	p. 243
Synthesis: The Peatscape of the Guayana Highlands	p. 247
Introduction	p. 247
Why Do Peatlands and Peats Matter?	p. 247
Setting and Formation of the Peatlands: The Peatscape	p. 248
Morphological, Physical, Chemical, and Taxonomic Characteristics of the Peats	p. 250
Vegetation of the Peatlands: Present and Past	p. 252
Environmental Changes: Diachronic Inception and Polygenetic Evolution of Peats	p. 254
The Highland-Lowland Connection: A System Approach	p. 256
Concluding Remark	p. 258
Reference	p. 9
Appendix: Site and Profile Characteristics	p. 261
Index	p. 291
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Peatlands of the Western Guayana Highlands, Venezuela

Properties and Paleogeographic Significance of Peats

At a Glance

Hardcover

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

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