Land subsidence by peat oxidation leads to enhanced salinization through boils in Dutch polders

Abstract

Peat oxidation in deep Dutch polders leads – in addition to subsidence - to the development of new saline boils, enhancing the salinization of these polders. This on-going process is studied in detail in the Middelburg-Tempelpolder. The objective of the study was to get more in-depth knowledge about this process and to assess it for the present situation and for future landscapes (after 10, 50, 100 and 500 years).