Peatlands of the Western Guayana Highlands, Venezuela

<p>Ch1     Introduction</p><p>            O. Huber, J.A. Zinck              </p><p> </p><p>Ch2     Tropical and subtropical peats: an overview</p><p>            J.A. Zinck</p><p> </p><p>           2.1 Introduction</p><p>           2.2 Peat extent and distribution</p><p>           2.3 Peat formation and development  </p><p>           2.4 Features of peats and peatlands</p><p>           2.5 Peat classification</p><p>           2.6 Peat and peatland as resources</p><p>           2.7 Conclusion </p><p>           2.8 References</p><p> </p><p>Ch3     The Guayana region and the study areas: geo-ecological characteristics</p><p>            O. Huber, P. García</p><p> </p><p>            3.1 Introduction</p><p>            3.2 Geology and paleoecology</p><p>            3.3 Physiography, climate, and vegetation</p><p>            3.4 Study areas</p><p>            3.5 Conclusions </p><p>            3.6 References</p><p> </p><p>Ch4     Tepui peatlands: setting and features</p><p>            J.A. Zinck, P. García</p><p> </p><p>           4.1 Introduction</p><p>           4.2 Rock substratum</p><p>           4.3 Geomorphic landscape</p><p>           4.4 Peatland types</p><p>           4.5 Peatland patterns</p><p>           4.6 Conclusions</p><p>           4.7 References</p><p> </p><p>Ch5     Laboratory methods for characterization of peat materials</p><p>            R. Schargel, P. García, D. Jiménez</p><p> </p><p>           5.1 Introduction</p><p>           5.2 Criteria used for the recognition of organic soils in the Soil Taxonomy </p><p>           5.3 Laboratory methods specific for organic soils </p><p>           5.4 Testing laboratory methods on selected Venezuelan Histosols</p><p>           5.5 Laboratory determinations performed on the Guayana Histosols </p><p>           5.6 Conclusions  </p><p>           5.7 References</p><p> </p><p>Ch6     Properties and classification of the tepui peats</p><p>            P. García, R. Schargel, J.A. Zinck</p><p> </p><p>           6.1 Introduction</p><p>           6.2 Morphological features</p><p>           6.3 Physical properties</p><p>           6.4 Chemical properties</p><p>           6.5 Spatial variations </p><p>           6.6 Taxonomic classification </p><p>           6.7 Conclusions</p><p>           6.8 References</p><p> </p><p>Ch7     Tepui peatlands: age record and environmental changes</p><p>            J.A. Zinck, P. García, J. van der Plicht</p><p> </p><p>           7.1 Introduction</p><p>           7.2 Sampling and dating method</p><p>           7.3 Site description and age record</p><p>           7.4 Interpretations and correlations: peat formation and environmental changes</p><p>           7.5 Conclusions</p><p>           7.6 References</p><p> </p><p>Ch8     Origin of organic matter leading to peat formation in the southeastern Guayana uplands and highlands</p><p>            E. Medina, E. Cuevas, O. Huber</p><p>  </p><p>           8.1 Introduction</p><p>           8.2 Site description</p><p>           8.3 Results: relationship between ¹³C values and peat age</p><p>           8.4 Discussion</p><p>           8.5 Conclusion </p><p>           8.6 References</p><p> </p><p>Ch9    Synthesis: the peatscape of the Guayana Highlands</p><p>            J.A. Zinck</p><p> </p><p>           9.1 Introduction</p><p>           9.2 Why do peatlands and peats matter?</p><p>           9.3 Setting and formation of the peatlands: the peatscape </p><p>           9.4 Morphological, physical, chemical and taxonomic characteristics of the peats</p><p>           9.5 Vegetation of the peatlands: present and past</p><p>           9.6 Environmental changes: diachronic inception and polygenetic evolution of peats</p><p>           9.7 The highland-lowland connection: a system approach</p><p>           9.8 Concluding remark</p><p> </p><p>App   Site and profile characteristics </p><p>            </p><p>          A.1 Introduction</p><p>          A.2 Site and profile descriptions</p><p>          A.3 Laboratory data</p><p> </p><p> </p>