Soil Moisture and the Distribution of Quercus prinus and Quercus rubra
Blackman D and Ware S. 1982. Soil Moisture and the Distribution of Quercus prinus and Quercus rubra. Castanea. 47(4):360-367
Discusses soil moisture in relation to distribution of two oak species at Peaks of Otter (Virginia section of the Blue Ridge Parkway) and Afton Mountain farther north. At Peaks of Otter, the two species showed distinct moisture preferences; no such correlation, however, was found at Afton Mountain. With a vegetation and moisture table for each location. Soil moisture measurements were taken at each stand on a bi-weekly basis through the growing season (using buried gypsum blocks and a Bouyoucos moisture meter) in 15 stands of varying altitudes, direction, and degree of slope in the central Blue Ridge of Virginia. In the Peaks of Otter area (8 stands), Quercus prinus stands had much lower average soil moisture than Q. rubra stands, and longer periods with soil moisture below 25%, supporting the conventional wisdom. However, composition of seven Afton Mountain area stands did not show consistent correlation with either the overall soil moisture or the number of consecutive weeks under 25% soil moisture, supporting Keever's (1973) conclusion that it cannot be assumed that Q. rubra sites are necessarily more mesic than Q. prinus sites. Further long term soil moisture studies are needed.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Blackman, Douglas; Ware, Stewart
- Units
- BLRI
- Keywords
- Oak (Quercus), Peaks of Otter (BLRI), Physical Sciences, Section 1-J Blue Ridge Parkway, Section 1-K Blue Ridge Parkway, Soil Moisture, Soils