Premium
The Effectiveness of Buffer Zones in Conifer‐Afforested Catchments
Author(s) -
WESTON D. G
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
water and environment journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1747-6593
pISSN - 1747-6585
DOI - 10.1111/j.1747-6593.1995.tb00957.x
Subject(s) - soil water , buffer strip , environmental science , drainage basin , hydrology (agriculture) , organic matter , water quality , buffer zone , soil science , geology , ecology , geography , biology , geotechnical engineering , cartography
This paper reports upon a study to determine whether buffer strips could improve the quality of soil‐water draining from conifer‐afforested slopes. Three sites in the Monachyle Glen catchment in the Trossachs (West Central Scotland) were sampled and several chemical indices were determined. Buffer strips engendered some variable and qualified improvements in soil‐water concentrations of some ions, although the improvement was accompanied by the anticipated loss of bases. Improvements in soil‐water quality were related to soil characteristics ‐ soils containing organic matter being more effective than mineral soils.