Hydrothermal effect on groundwater level fluctuations: case studies of ?epkeliai and R?kyva peatbogs, Lithuania

Abstract

The peatbogs are very unique and relatively vulnerable ecosystems for every kind of disturbances. This research analyses therelationships between groundwater level (GWL) fluctuations and meteorological conditions in Lithuanian peatbogs. Two case study areas (?epkeliai and R?kyva peatbogs) with permanent GWL monitoring points were investigated. Theperiod from 2002 till 2011 was analysed in ?epkeliai and theperiod from 2011 till 2014 in R?kyva. Thefinal results indicate that rainfall is themost important factor determining thegroundwater level fluctuations in thewarm season, while temperature and evapotranspiration play only aminor role. Therelationship between GWL and precipitation strongly depends on soil properties. Thefindings in R?kyva revealed that thereactions of GWL on meteorological conditions in various parts of the peatbogs were not the same. Also, theanalysis showed that thereaction of GWL on precipitation differs in cold and warm seasons.