Abstract Natural soil pipes are recognised as a common geomorphological feature in many peatlands, and they can discharge large quantities of water and sediment. However, little is known about their morphological characteristics in heavily degraded peat systems. This paper presents a survey of pipe outlets in which the frequency and extent of natural soil pipes are measured across a heavily gullied blanket peat catchment in the Peak District of northern England. Over a stream length of 7.71 km we determined the occurrence and size of 346 pipe outlets, and found a mean frequency of 22.8 km−1 gully bank. Topographic position was an important control on the size and depth of pipe outlets. Aspect had a large influence on pipe outlet frequency, with southwest and west- facing gully banks hosting more than 43% of identified pipe outlets. Pipe outlets on streambanks with signs of headward retreat were significantly larger and closer to the peat surface compared to pipe outlets that issued onto uniform streambank edges. We suggest that larger pipe frequencies are observed on gully banks that are more susceptible to desiccation cracking, and propose that future peatland restoration works could prioritise mitigating against pipe formation by revegetating and reprofiling south and west facing gully banks.

中文翻译：

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严重退化毯状泥炭中天然管道出口空间分布的控制

摘要 天然土壤管道被认为是许多泥炭地常见的地貌特征，可以排放大量的水和泥沙。然而，对于它们在严重退化的泥炭系统中的形态特征知之甚少。本文介绍了管道出口的调查，其中天然土壤管道的频率和范围在英格兰北部峰区的严重沟壑的毯状泥炭集水区进行测量。在 7.71 公里的溪流长度上，我们确定了 346 个管道出口的出现和大小，发现平均频率为 22.8 公里-1 沟堤。地形位置是控制管道出口尺寸和深度的重要因素。Aspect 对管道出口频率影响很大，西南和西向的沟渠占据了 43% 以上的已识别管道出口。与排放到均匀河岸边缘的管道出口相比，具有向前后退迹象的河岸上的管道出口明显更大且更靠近泥炭表面。我们建议在更容易发生干燥开裂的沟渠上观察到更大的管道频率，并建议未来的泥炭地恢复工作可以通过重新植被和重新塑造面向南面和西面的沟渠来优先缓解管道形成。