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Hydrologic Response of a Young Pine Plantation to Weed Removal
Author(s) -
Lambert J. L.,
Gardner W. R.,
Boyle J. R.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr007i004p01013
Subject(s) - outwash plain , evapotranspiration , environmental science , precipitation , weed , vegetation (pathology) , agronomy , pinus <genus> , drainage , red pine , dns root zone , forestry , hydrology (agriculture) , weed control , soil water , geography , soil science , botany , biology , geology , ecology , physical geography , medicine , geotechnical engineering , pathology , meteorology , glacier
In May 1969 the weed vegetation on one plot in a 7‐year‐old red pine ( Pinus resinosa , Ait.) plantation was killed by using herbicides. The site was a glacial outwash plain in Adams County, Wisconsin. Of the 27 cm of precipitation that occurred in June, July, and August of that year, evapotranspiration accounted for 16 cm on a plot with weeds and only 9 cm on the plot without weeds. But nearly all of this excess was lost from the root zone by a 61% increase in drainage associated with weed removal, so the increase of water available to plants was not great. The increase was most obvious in the surface layer beneath the trees where it amounted to 28%. In the openings between trees, the surface layer was actually drier owing to greater surface heating caused by removal of weeds. Important factors that amplified the effects of treatment were the erratic precipitation regime and the sandy texture of the soil.