• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.65-71
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• 2004

The most significant effect of excess water in wetlands is the isolation of the soil from the atmosphere and the prevention of O2 from diffusing into soil. The blockage of atmospheric O2 induces biological and chemical processes that change soil from oxidized into reduced state. When dry soil develop into hydric soil, redox potential is dropping. The redox potential is a indicator of hydric soil and affect chemical function of wetlands. To reveal characteristics of wetland soil, redox potential was measured in Jinkwannaedong ecological conservation area from May in 2003 to March in 2004. Redox potentials in May ranged from 5 mV at 25 cm depth to 200 mV at 10 cm depth. It decreased to about -200 m V at all depths and continued until October. In winter, redox potential was slowly increased; it was the highest at 5 cm depth and lowest at 20 cm depth. Annual variations of redox potential in 20 cm depth showed the same pattern at 5 sites; low in growing season and high in non-growing season. This results indicates that soils of study sites are in hydric state and methanogenesis is occurring in Jinkwannaedong ecological conservation area.