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Infiltration Rate as Affected by Soil Freezing Under Three Cover Types
Author(s) -
Harris Alfred Ray
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1972.03615995003600030034x
Subject(s) - snowmelt , deciduous , infiltration (hvac) , environmental science , hydrology (agriculture) , snow , soil water , loam , surface runoff , canopy , macropore , soil science , ecology , geology , geography , biology , geomorphology , mesoporous material , biochemistry , geotechnical engineering , meteorology , catalysis
Abstract Infiltration rate in a frozen Fayette silt loam soil under contiguous areas of natural deciduous forest, 25‐year‐old confierous plantation, and 6‐year‐old abandoned field vegetation was measured over the winter of 1969‐70 using tin can infiltrometers and a water‐ethylene glycol solution. The deciduous forest site had a natural soil profile; the conifer plantation and abandoned field sites were once cultivated. Prefreeze infiltration rate was similar for all cover conditions. In deciduous forest and abandoned field plots, soil freezing did not change the infiltration rate sharply until late winter when infiltrating snowmelt and rainfall froze and closed soil pores. In the conifer plantation, the infiltration rate was nearly zero in early winter due to an impermeable snow‐ice layer on the ground caused by snowmelt dripping from the conifer canopy. Because of large macropores, infiltration rates were high on the deciduous forest and abandoned field plots even when the frozen soil contained nearly 50% water by volume. Conifer plantations may thus contribute more surface run‐off than deciduous forest or abandoned fields during snowmelt and winter rains.