Glossary (trial version)

Click on the first letter of the word/phrase you wish to look up.

Carbon trading

see emission trading.

Catchment

the entire area drained by a natural stream or artificial drain in such a way that all flow originating in the area is discharged through a single outlet.

Catena

a sequence of soil types and their vegetation that is repeated in a corresponding sequence of topographical sites.

Cation exchange capacity

the extent to which exchangeable cations can be held in a soil.

Catotelm

the lower "inert" layer of the peat of an undamaged ombrotrophic bog. The catotelm underlies the acrotelm, and is permanently water saturated, mainly anoxic and of low hydraulic conductivity.

Chelation

the formation of heterocyclic ring structures that contain metal cations. A natural reaction in most soils, it is enhanced by organic matter, especially humus.

Compaction

the change in soil volume produced artificially by momentary load applications such as rolling, tamping, or vibration.

Compression

the change in soil volume produced by the application of a static external load.

Consolidation

The very rapid subsidence after virgin peat swamps are drained resulting in compression of the permanently saturated peat layers. Consolidation occurs as water and/or air are driven out of the voids in the soil.

This glossary is based up on the published glossary taken from the following publication:

Rieley, J. O. and S. E. Page, (2005), Wise Use of Tropical Peatlands: Focus on Southeast Asia, ALTERRA - Wageningen University and Research Centre and the EU INCO - STRAPEAT and RESTORPEAT Partnerships, Wageningen, The Netherlands.

Click here to download a PDF copy of the publication - http://www.restorpeat.alterra.wur.nl/download/WUG.pdf (Filesize: 23.3 Mbytes)