EVALUATING THE PRODUCTIVITY OF PINE FORESTS IN THE HINTON–EDSON AREA, ALBERTA, FROM SOIL SURVEY MAPS

1973 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 405-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. DUMANSKI ◽  
J. C. WRIGHT ◽  
J. D. LINDSAY
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Contorta ◽  
Parent Material ◽  
Forest Growth ◽  
Soil Survey ◽  
Land Evaluation ◽  
Soil Reaction ◽  
Evaluation Procedures ◽  
Soil Parent Material ◽  
Continuous Forest ◽  
Gravelly Soils

Effective land use and land management policies are based ideally on data collected from land classification and land evaluation procedures. This paper describes a method employed in classifying and evaluating land for the production of lodge-pole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) in the Hinton–Edson area of Alberta. Initially, a soil survey was conducted in the area. Productivity of various collections of soils was then obtained by statistically comparing soil information derived from the soils map with forest growth information obtained from the continuous forest inventory program of North Western Pulp and Power Limited of Hinton. Results indicate that aspect has minimal effect on pine productivity except for sandy and gravelly soils. General differences in growth were related to soil parent material, climate, drainage, and physiography, and more specific differences were attributed to soil subgroup, soil series, soil reaction, and percent slope. It was realized that pine growth is a function of pedological, landform, and climatological factors, and all must be considered when evaluating productivity.

Amalgamation and Harmonization of Soil Survey Reports into a Multi-purpose Database

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shane Robert Furze ◽  
Paul Arp
Keyword(s):  
New Brunswick ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Soil Classification ◽  
Parent Material ◽  
Soil Survey ◽  
Soil Horizon ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Soil Parent Material ◽  
Soil Surveys

There is a growing demand for standardized, easily accessible and detailed information pertaining to soil and its variability across the landscape. Typically, this information is only available for select areas in the form of local or regional soil surveys reports which are difficult, and costly, to develop. Additionally, soil surveying protocols have changed with time, resulting in inconsistencies between surveys conducted over different periods. This article describes systematic procedures applied to generate an aspatial, terminologically- and unit-consistent, database for forest soils from county-based soil survey reports for the province of New Brunswick, Canada. The procedures involved (i) amalgamating data from individual soil surveys following a hierarchical framework, (ii) summarizing and grouping soil information by soil associations, (iii) assigning correct soil associates to each association, with each soil associate distinguished by drainage classification, (iv) assigning pedologically-correct horizon sequences, as identified in the original soil surveys, to each soil associate, (v) assigning horizon descriptors and measured soil properties to each horizon, as outlined by the Canadian System of Soil Classification, and (vi) harmonizing units of measurement for individual soil properties. Identification and summarization of all soil associations (and corresponding soil associates) was completed with reference to the principal soil-forming factors, namely soil parent material, topographic surface expressions, soil drainage, and dominant vegetation type(s). This procedure, utilizing 17 soil surveys, resulted in an amalgamated database containing 106 soil associations, 243 soil associates, and 522 soil horizon sequences summarizing the variability of forest soil conditions across New Brunswick.

Ca-Mg ratios for evaluating pedogenesis in the piedmont province of the southeastern United States of America

2001 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
pp. 415-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
J N Shaw ◽  
L T West ◽  
B F Hajek
Keyword(s):  
Parent Material ◽  
Soil Survey ◽  
Forest Fertilization ◽  
Mafic Rocks ◽  
Parent Materials ◽  
Soil Parent Material ◽  
Southeastern Us ◽  
Exchangeable Ca ◽  
Selective Retention ◽  
National Cooperative

The nature of parent materials strongly influences soil development in the southeastern US Piedmont. In this region, most parent materials (saprolite) form from metamorphic and igneous felsic and mafic rocks. Although most soils in felsic terrains are acid and kaolinitic, soils formed from mafic parent materials range from kaolinitic Ultisols to Alfisols with smectite. Because it is sometimes difficult in soils developed in mixed terrains to determine parent material influence, exchangeable Ca/Mg ratios were used to elucidate soil-parent material relationships. Establishment of Ca/Mg signatures diagnostic of soil-parent material suites could facilitate soil mapping activities and forest fertilization regimes. Characterization data collected as part of the National Cooperative Soil Survey (mainly Georgia and Alabama) were evaluated, and soils were grouped by parent material type. The Ca/Mg ratios did not prove to be diagnostic for separating parent materials; however, significant depth trends existed. In most of the groupings, Ca/Mg ratios decreased with depth in the solum, which was most likely due to selective retention of Ca2+ and the effects of bio-cycling. The ratio either increased below the solum (mafic soils), or continued to decrease (felsic soils). Thus, these ratios are useful for identifying solum depth in some of these soils. The (Ca + K)/Mg ratios were more diagnostic with regard to parent material. These data suggest soils possessing ratios of (Ca + K)/Mg < 2 within the solum (excluding surface horizons) have been significantly influenced by mafic parent materials. Key words: Piedmont, Ca-Mg ratios, Ultisols, Alfisols, pedogenesis

scholarly journals Research on heavy metal level and co-occurrence network in typical ecological fragile area

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiwei Zhao ◽  
Liangmin Gao ◽  
Fugeng Zha ◽  
Xiaoqing Chen ◽  
Xiaofang Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Human Factors ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Mining Area ◽  
Parent Material ◽  
Control Value ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
Soil Parent Material ◽  
Sampling Points

AbstractDue to the special sensitivity of typical ecologically fragile areas, a series of human life, mining, and other activities have a greater impact on the environment. In this study, three coal mines in Ordos City on the Loess Plateau were selected as the study area, and the pollution levels of heavy metals in the area were studied by measuring As, Hg, Cr, Cd, Cu, Ni, and Pb in the soil of 131 sampling points. Combined with the concept of “co-occurrence network” in biology, the level of heavy metals in soil was studied using geostatistics and remote sensing databases. The results showed that the concentrations of Hg, Cr, Ni, Cu, and Pb in more than half of the sampling points were higher than the local environmental background value, but did not exceed the risk control value specified by China, indicating that human factors have a greater influence, while Cd and As elements are mainly affected Soil parent material and human factors influence. Heavy metal elements have nothing to do with clay and silt but have an obvious correlation with gravel. Cd, Pb, As and Ni, Cd, Cr are all positively correlated, and different heavy metals are in space The distribution also reflects the autocorrelation, mainly concentrated in the northeast of the TS mining area and the middle of the PS mining area.

The influence of forest site on rate and extent of soil compaction and profile disturbance of skid trails during ground-based harvesting

2000 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 1196-1205 ◽  
Author(s):  
J R Williamson ◽  
W A Neilsen
Keyword(s):  
Root Growth ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Parent Material ◽  
Forest Site ◽  
Undisturbed Soil ◽  
Soil Parent Material ◽  
Wet Forests

Soil compaction has been considered a principal form of damage associated with logging, restricting root growth and reducing productivity. The rate and extent of soil compaction on skid trails was measured at six field locations covering a range of dry and wet forests. Data was collected for up to 21 passes of a laden logging machine. A similar extent of compaction, averaging 0.17 g·cm-3 increase in total soil bulk density (BD), was recorded for all field sites despite substantial site and soil differences. On average, 62% of the compaction in the top 10 cm of the soil occurred after only one pass of a laden logging machine. The environment under which soils had formed played a major role in determining the BD of the undisturbed soil. Compaction was strongly related to the original BD, forest type, and soil parent material. Soil strengths obtained in the field fell below levels found to restrict root growth. However, reduction in macropores, and the effect of that on aeration and drainage could reduce tree growth. On the wettest soils logged, machine forces displaced topsoils rather than causing compaction in situ. Recommended logging methods and implications for the development of sustainability indices are discussed.

THE EFFECT OF DRAINAGE CONDITION ON THE REDOX POTENTIAL, LEACHATE COMPOSITION AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A SOIL PARENT MATERIAL STUDIED IN THE LABORATORY

1960 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. McKeague ◽  
C. F. Bentley
Keyword(s):  
Redox Potential ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Parent Material ◽  
Soil Material ◽  
Soil Parent Material ◽  
Leachate Analysis ◽  
Loam Soil ◽  
Leachate Composition ◽  
Measurable Change

Plastic columns containing a calcareous clay loam soil parent material with and without ground aspen leaves at the surface were maintained under different drainage conditions for 32 months. Distilled water was added at regular intervals. Results of redox potential (Eh) measurements at four depths, leachate analysis and analysis of the soil material are presented.With water table to the surface and a layer of surface leaves, low Eh readings and appreciable iron movement resulted. In a column with fluctuating water table and surface leaves, raising the water table brought about a decrease in the Eh of the soil below the water table. Height of water table had no effect on the Eh of a column which had no leaves at the surface. In columns where the soil material was mixed with quartz sand, leaching brought about marked downward movement of silt and clay size particles. Apart from the removal of soluble salts, there was little measurable change in columns which had no admixture of sand.

Improving the field estimation of saturated hydraulic conductivity in soil survey

Soil Research ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 803 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil McKenzie ◽  
David Jacquier
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Water Movement ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Soil Survey ◽  
Land Evaluation ◽  
Levels Of Detail ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Field Estimation ◽  
Morphological Variables ◽  
Soil Surveys

Prediction of the movement and storage of water in soil is central to quantitative land evaluation. However, spatial and temporal predictions have not been provided by most Australian soil surveys. The saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) is an essential parameter for description of water movement in soil and its estimation has been considered too difficult for logistic and technical reasons. The Ks cannot be measured everywhere and relationships with readily observed morphological variables have to be established. However, conventional morphology by itself is a poor predictor of Ks. We have developed a more functional set of morphological descriptors better suited to the prediction of Ks. The descriptors can be applied at several levels of detail. Measurements of functional morphology and Ks were made on 99 horizons from 36 sites across south-eastern Australia. Useful predictions of Ks were possible using field texture, grade of structure, areal porosity, bulk density, dispersion index, and horizon type. A simple visual estimate of areal porosity was satisfactory, although a more quantitative system of measurement provided only slightly better predictions. Regression trees gave more plausible predictive models than standard multiple regressions because they provided a realistic portrayal of the non-additive and conditional nature of the relationships between morphology and Ks. The results are encouraging and indicate that coarse-level prediction of Ks is possible in routine soil survey. Direct measurement of Ks does not appear to be generally feasible because of the high cost, dynamic nature of Ks, and substantial short-range variation in the field. Prediction is further constrained by the limited returns from more sophisticated morphological predictors. The degree to which this limits practical land evaluation is yet to be demonstrated.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document