Forest Soils & Forest Soils & Vegetation DevelopmentVegetation Development

SOILS = f (?????)SOILS = f (?????)

SOILS = f (cl, r, o, p, t, …..H)SOILS = f (cl, r, o, p, t, …..H)

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How would you solve this equation???How would you solve this equation???OR

How would you design the research to solve this equation????

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This is called a ???

Climofunction

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Quantitative research!

Eg:S1 = f(cla,pa,ra,oa,ta,..,)S2 = f(clb,pa,ra,oa,ta,..,)S3 = f(clc,pa,ra,oa,ta,..,)S4 = f(cld,pa,ra,oa,ta,..,)

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Can this typeof research

be

accomplished???

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ChronoChronosequence???sequence???

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Qualitative research!! ???

Maybe Quantitative now

Eg:S1 = f(cl1.0,p1.0,r1,0,o1.0,t1,..,)S2 = f(cl1.1,p1.2,r1.2,o1.2,t2,..,)S3 = f(cl1.1,p1.3,r1.5,o1.2,t3,..,)S4 = f(cl1.2,p1.1,r1.0,o1.0,t4,..,)

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Soils or Soils or some soil some soil property property may be may be

described as described as ‘mature’ or ‘mature’ or

in in ‘‘equilibriumequilibrium’ ’

or or ‘STEADY ‘STEADY STATE’STATE’ when:when:

t1

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The change in The change in SOILSSOILS

or or soil parameters soil parameters

is called??is called??

(pedogenesis)(pedogenesis)

Is steady state common in ecosystems??

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Pedogenic processes involve:Pedogenic processes involve: additionsadditions of organic & mineral materials to the of organic & mineral materials to the

soil as solids, liquids & gasessoil as solids, liquids & gases(eg, littering, cumulization)(eg, littering, cumulization)

losseslosses of those from the soil of those from the soil (eg, leaching, erosion)(eg, leaching, erosion)

translocationstranslocations of materials from one point to of materials from one point to another within the soil another within the soil

(eg, eluviation, illuviation, podzolization)(eg, eluviation, illuviation, podzolization)

transformationstransformations of mineral & organic of mineral & organic substances within the soil substances within the soil

(eg, decomposition, mineralization)(eg, decomposition, mineralization)11

Processes affect soil developmentProcesses affect soil development Processes affect vegetationProcesses affect vegetation

BUT!BUT!

Soil affects processes,Soil affects processes, AND AND Vegetation affects processesVegetation affects processes

SOSO

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SOILS affect VegetationSOILS affect Vegetation

AndAnd Vegetation affects SOILSVegetation affects SOILS

ANDAND HUMANS affect both!!HUMANS affect both!!

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Forest Soils & Forest Soils & Vegetation DevelopmentVegetation Development

So with MANAGEMENTSo with MANAGEMENT

we can affect both we can affect both VegetationVegetation

ANDAND

SOILSSOILS14

Soil Physical PropertiesSoil Physical Propertiesaffect tree growthaffect tree growth

????????

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TextureTexture

Sandy soil?Sandy soil?

Clayey soil?Clayey soil?

Loams just right?Loams just right?

Ameliorate poor texture?Ameliorate poor texture?• OM?OM?• ??????

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StructureStructure

Moderates effects of textureModerates effects of texture• Water percolationWater percolation• AerationAeration• Bulk densityBulk density

OM?OM? Coatings of Fe or CaCOCoatings of Fe or CaCO3, 3, saltssalts ??????

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Bulk DensityBulk Density

Root penetrationRoot penetration Affects pore volume -water, air, ???Affects pore volume -water, air, ??? Management affects BD?Management affects BD?

• negative, positive??negative, positive??

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ColorColor

Depicts OM, moisture, parent Depicts OM, moisture, parent material, salts, ??material, salts, ??

Affects temperaturesAffects temperatures Indirectly, if OM, it affects nutrients, Indirectly, if OM, it affects nutrients,

moisture, etc???moisture, etc???

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TemperatureTemperature

Affects soil organisms, chemistry, Affects soil organisms, chemistry, weathering of mineralsweathering of minerals

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WaterWater AdhesionAdhesion CohesionCohesion Water potentialWater potential

• Matric – attraction btwn water & soil Matric – attraction btwn water & soil particlesparticles

• Osmotic – soluble salts, important in dry Osmotic – soluble salts, important in dry soilssoils

• Gravitational – water in large pores Gravitational – water in large pores (saturated-field capacity)(saturated-field capacity)

Field capacity – after saturated soil Field capacity – after saturated soil drainsdrains

Permanent wilting point - Permanent wilting point - 21

U.S. Soil TaxonomySoil Orders

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Major Soil Types in Forest RegionsMajor Soil Types in Forest Regions

Major Forest TypesMajor Forest Types

BorealBoreal

Temp conifer, mixed, Temp conifer, mixed, hardwood, & montanehardwood, & montane

Tropical rain forests, Tropical rain forests, monsoon forests, monsoon forests, dry forestdry forest

Most Common Soil OrdersMost Common Soil Orders

Gelisols, Spodosols, Gelisols, Spodosols, Histosols, InceptisolsHistosols, Inceptisols

Alfisols, Inceptisols, Ultisols, Alfisols, Inceptisols, Ultisols, Spodosols, Entisols, MollisolsSpodosols, Entisols, Mollisols

Ultisols, Inceptisols, Oxisols, Ultisols, Inceptisols, Oxisols, AndisolsAndisols

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Processes:Processes:

1a. 1a. EluviationEluviation

Movement of material Movement of material out ofout of a a portion of a soil profile as in an albic portion of a soil profile as in an albic horizon (E)horizon (E)

1b. 1b. IlluviationIlluviation

Movement of material Movement of material intointo a portion a portion of soil profile as in an argillic (Bt) or of soil profile as in an argillic (Bt) or spodic (Bs or Bhs) horizonspodic (Bs or Bhs) horizon 26

Processes:Processes:

2a. 2a. LeachingLeaching

General term for washing out or General term for washing out or eluviating soluble materials from the eluviating soluble materials from the solumsolum

2b. 2b. EnrichmentEnrichment

General term for addition of material General term for addition of material to a soil bodyto a soil body

Processes:Processes:

3a. 3a. ErosionErosionRemoval of material from the surface Removal of material from the surface layer of a soillayer of a soil

3b. 3b. CumulizationCumulizationAeolian, hydrologic & human-made Aeolian, hydrologic & human-made additions of mineral particles to the additions of mineral particles to the surface of a soil solum [also urbic, surface of a soil solum [also urbic, garbic, spolic?]garbic, spolic?]

Processes:Processes:

4a. 4a. DecalcificationDecalcification

Reactions that Reactions that removeremove (or move out) (or move out) CaCOCaCO33 from one or more soil horizons from one or more soil horizons

4b. 4b. CalcificationCalcification

Processes including Processes including accumulation of accumulation of CaCOCaCO33 in in CkCk & possibly other & possibly other horizons (horizons (BkBk))

Processes:Processes:

5a. 5a. SalinizationSalinization

AccumulationAccumulation of of soluble saltssoluble salts (eg (eg SO4’s & Cl’s of Ca, Mg, Na or K) in SO4’s & Cl’s of Ca, Mg, Na or K) in salicsalic ( (BzBz) (salty) horizons) (salty) horizons

5b. 5b. DesalinizationDesalinization

RemovalRemoval of of soluble saltssoluble salts from salic from salic soil horizonssoil horizons

Processes:Processes:

6a. 6a. AlkalizationAlkalization or or solonizationsolonization

AccumulationAccumulation of of Na ionsNa ions on the on the exchange sites in a soilexchange sites in a soil

6b. 6b. DealkalizationDealkalization or or solodizationsolodization

LeachingLeaching of of Na ionsNa ions & salts& salts from a from a natric (natric (BtnBtn) horizon) horizon

Processes:Processes: 7a. 7a. LessivageLessivage

Mechanical Mechanical migrationmigration of small mineral of small mineral particles from the A to the B horizon producing particles from the A to the B horizon producing a clay enriched B horizon (ie, argillic = a clay enriched B horizon (ie, argillic = BtBt))

7b. 7b. PedoturbationPedoturbation

Biologic, physical (freeze-thaw & wet-dry Biologic, physical (freeze-thaw & wet-dry cycles) churning & cycling of soil materials, cycles) churning & cycling of soil materials, thereby homogenizing the solum in varying thereby homogenizing the solum in varying degrees. Egdegrees. Eg

Processes:Processes:7b. 7b. Pedoturbation - Pedoturbation - EgEg faunalfaunal pedoturbation - animals pedoturbation - animals floralfloral pedoturbation - plants (eg, tip overs) pedoturbation - plants (eg, tip overs) congellicongellipedoturbation - freeze-thawpedoturbation - freeze-thaw argilliargillipedoturbation - mass wastingpedoturbation - mass wasting movements by expansion of movements by expansion of

claysclays aeroaeropedoturbation - mix soil gases (after rain)pedoturbation - mix soil gases (after rain) aquaaquapedoturbation - mix soil Hpedoturbation - mix soil H22O (upwellingO (upwelling currents)currents) crystalcrystalpedoturbation - mix crystal growthpedoturbation - mix crystal growth seismiseismipedoturbation pedoturbation

Processes:Processes: 8a. 8a. PodzolizationPodzolization

Chemical migration of Chemical migration of AlAl & & FeFe &/or &/or OMOM resulting in the concentration of Si (ie, resulting in the concentration of Si (ie, silication) in the layer eluviated (Bs, Bhs)silication) in the layer eluviated (Bs, Bhs)

8b. 8b. DesilicationDesilication or or ferrallitizationferrallitization, , ferritizationferritization, , allitizationallitization Chemical Chemical migrationmigration of of SiSi out of the soil solum out of the soil solum and thus and thus increaseincrease the concentration of the concentration of sesquioxidessesquioxides in the solum (goethite, gibbsite, in the solum (goethite, gibbsite, etc), with or without formation of ironstone etc), with or without formation of ironstone (laterite; hardened plinthite) and concretions (laterite; hardened plinthite) and concretions [laterization][laterization]

Processes:Processes:

9a. 9a. DecompositionDecomposition

BreakdownBreakdown of of mineralmineral & & organic organic materialsmaterials

9b. 9b. SynthesisSynthesis

FormationFormation of of newnew particles of particles of mineralmineral & & organicorganic species species

Processes:Processes: 10a. 10a. MelanizationMelanization

DarkeningDarkening of light-colored mineral initial of light-colored mineral initial unconsolidated materials by admixture of unconsolidated materials by admixture of OMOM (as in a dark (as in a dark AA or or mollicmollic or or umbricumbric horizon) horizon)

10b. 10b. LeucinizationLeucinization

PalingPaling of soil horizons by disappearance of of soil horizons by disappearance of dark organic materials either through dark organic materials either through transformation to light-colored ones or through transformation to light-colored ones or through removal from the horizonsremoval from the horizons

Processes:Processes: 11a. 11a. LitteringLittering

AccumulationAccumulation on the mineral soil surface of on the mineral soil surface of organicorganic (plant & faunal) (plant & faunal) litterlitter and associated and associated humus to a depth of humus to a depth of less than 30 cmless than 30 cm ((OiOi & & OeOe))

11b. 11b. HumificationHumificationTransformationTransformation of raw organic material into of raw organic material into humushumus ( (OeOe & & OaOa))

11c. 11c. MineralizationMineralizationRelease of oxide solids through Release of oxide solids through decompositiondecomposition of of OMOM

Processes:Processes:(cont’d)(cont’d)

11d. 11d. RipeningRipeningChemical, biological & physical changes in Chemical, biological & physical changes in organic soilorganic soil after after air air penetratespenetrates previously previously waterlogged material (eg, polder construction)waterlogged material (eg, polder construction)

11e. 11e. PaludizationPaludization Processes regarded by some workers as Processes regarded by some workers as geogenic rather than pedogenic, including the geogenic rather than pedogenic, including the accumulationaccumulation of deep ( of deep (> 30cm> 30cm) deposits of ) deposits of OMOM as in mucks & peats - as in mucks & peats - HistosolsHistosols

Processes:Processes: 12a. 12a. BraunificationBraunification, , rubificationrubification, ,

ferruginationferruginationReleaseRelease of of ironiron from primary minerals and the from primary minerals and the dispersion of particles of iron oxide in dispersion of particles of iron oxide in increasing amounts; their progressive oxidation increasing amounts; their progressive oxidation or hydration, or hydration, giving the soil massgiving the soil mass brownish, brownish, reddish brown, and reddish brown, and red colorsred colors, respectively, respectively

12b. 12b. GleizationGleizationReductionReduction of of ironiron ( (FeFe+3+3 FeFe+2+2) under ) under anaerobicanaerobic “waterlogged” soil conditions, with “waterlogged” soil conditions, with the production of bluish to greenish the production of bluish to greenish graygray matrix matrix colorscolors, with or without yellowish brown, , with or without yellowish brown, brown, and black mottles, and ferric and brown, and black mottles, and ferric and manganiferous concretionsmanganiferous concretions

Processes:Processes: 13a. 13a. LooseningLoosening

Increase in volume of voids by activity of Increase in volume of voids by activity of plants, animals, & humans and by freeze-thaw plants, animals, & humans and by freeze-thaw or other physical processes and by removal of or other physical processes and by removal of material by leachingmaterial by leaching

13b. 13b. HardeningHardening

Decrease in volume of voids by collapse & Decrease in volume of voids by collapse & compaction & by filling of some voids with fine compaction & by filling of some voids with fine earth, carbonates, silica & other materialsearth, carbonates, silica & other materials