Todd Redding

Particle densities of wetland soils in northern Alberta, Canada

Particle density is a fundamental soil physical property, yet values of soil and organic matter particle density (ρs and ρo) 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 ρs varied widely (1.43–2.39 Mg m-3); however, calculated values of ρo (1.34–1.52 Mg m-3) were relatively constant. The measured and calculated ρs and ρo 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 ρo, the use of mean values of ρo, combined with measurements of organic matter loss-on-ignition, shows promise as a simple method for obtaining reliable estimates of ρs across a range of wetland types. Key words: Particle density, peat, organic matter, wetland soil, loss-on-ignition