@article {52147,
	title = {Effect of organic carbon (peat) on moisture retention of peat:mineral mixes},
	volume = {81},
	year = {2001},
	pages = {6 pages },
	publisher = {Canadian Journal of Soil Science },
	abstract = {Quantification of the effects of organic carbon (OC) addition to reclaimed soils is an important reclamation issue. Such effects on soil texture, field capacity (FC), wilting point (PWP) and water-hold- ing capacity (WHC), all expressed both on a gravimetric and volumetric basis, were quantified using both in situ soil samples and laboratory-prepared peat:mineral mixes. Soil samples were collected from both natural and reclaimed areas within the Oil Sands region of Alberta; peat was obtained from the same area. Organic carbon was determined for laboratory-created mixtures and expressed as volume ratios; for the in situ samples it was expressed as \% OC. Bulk density, an important factor in the effects of OC on water retention, was measured in situ.
Water retention parameters of in situ samples on a gravimetric basis were significantly related to \% OC, but those on a volume basis were not. Trends in volumetric WHC for in situ, coarse-textured samples were similar to those for gravimeteric WHC, due to similar bulk densities ranging from 1.30 to 1.40 Mg m{\textendash}3. However, for in situ peaty soils, trends in volumetric water retention did not mimic those expressed on a gravimetric basis due to low and irregular bulk densities. For laboratory-constructed peat:min- eral mixes, FC and WHC were significantly impacted by \% OC, however, PWP was not.
The addition of peat material resulted in minor textural changes for sand and loamy sand; hence, the change in texture could not be responsible for the increases in WHC as the result of peat additions. The results for sandy loam were variable.},
	keywords = {peat, soil moisture, soil water, UofA},
	url = {http://pubs.aic.ca/doi/pdf/10.4141/S00-011},
	author = {Moskal, T. D. and Leskiw, L. and Naeth, M. A. and Chanasyk, D. S.}
}
