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Published in Soil Sci Soc Am J 27:94-98 (1963)
© 1963 Soil Science Society of America
677 S. Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA
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Soil-Moisture Depletion by a Hardwood Forest during Drouth Years1

Peter W. Fletcher and Howard W. Lull2

ABSTRACT

Daily soil-moisture readings were taken during two drouth years with fiberglas units installed on each of 8 plots at 8 depths in the upper 40 inches of soil in a polesize mixed oak and hickory stand, Butler County, Missouri. On two plots the trees were cut and removed and the litter burned (bare); on two the trees were cut and removed and litter was left intact (litter-only); on two the litter was burned (trees-only), and two plots were left undisturbed (trees-and-litter).

The litter-only plots remained wettest throughout both growing seasons, and bare plots occupied a position of medium wetness. The trees-only plots and the trees-and-litter plots had driest and similar soil moisture contents. Daily rates of soil profile drying during rainless periods were linearly related to moisture contents of the 40-inch depth for all but the litter-only plots. Drying rates decreased with increasing profile depth. As compared with undisturbed forest soil at field capacity, litter removal increased soil drying rates about 10%; tree removal decreased them about two-thirds. Removal of both trees and litter decreased soil drying rates about one-third.

NOTES

1 Contribution from the Missouri Agr. Exp. Sta. Journal Series No. 2416, approved by the Director. Presented before Div. V-A, Soil Science Society of America, St. Louis, Mo., Nov. 29, 1961.

2 Director, School of Forestry, The Pennsylvania State University and formerly Professor of Forestry, University of Missouri (1952–1959), and Chief, Division of Watershed Management Research, Northeastern Forest Exp. Sta., U. S. Forest Service, respectively.

Received for publication March 23, 1962. Accepted for publication September 13, 1962.






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