Spatial Variation and Correlation Between Electric Conductivity (EM38) and CO2 Emissions from a Cultivated Peat Soil

Approximately 15 percent of Sweden’s land area is covered by peat ( 30 cm deep). In drained peatlands, decomposition of the peat produces greenhouse gases such as CO2 and N2O. Electric conductivity, measured with the instrument EM38, can be used to assess spatial variation in soil properties. To easier decide the quantity of the CO2-emissions from a peatland the possible relation between electric conductivity and CO2-emissions, water content, peat depth and soil temperature is investigated. The test site is located at Bälinge mossar, approximately 20 kilometers north of Uppsala. On the peat field 40 test points are marked where the measurements take place. The results of the investigation show that the only correlation that exists is the one between electric conductivity and water content.