THE COMPOSITION OF WET-HEATH VEGETATION IN RELATION TO AERATION OF THE GROUND-WATER AND SOIL.

This article presents a quantitative investigation regarding the composition of wet-heath vegetation in relation to aeration of the ground water and soil in certain communities on the north Hampshire-Berkshire border. The study shows that the cover of several species was closely related to the concentrations of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide in the ground water, particularly Molinia coerulea, that cover decreased as the concentrations of these gases increased. Furthermore, it was concluded that their intercellular space system provided a free path for the oxygen diffusion from shoot to root.