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Changes in Soil Water Tables Following Phosphorus Fertilization of Young Slash Pine
Author(s) -
McCarthy J.W.,
Stone E.L.
Publication year - 1991
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/sssaj1991.03615995005500050040x
Subject(s) - slash pine , water table , slash (logging) , environmental science , phosphorus , basal area , sowing , soil water , human fertilization , hydrology (agriculture) , pinus <genus> , zoology , agronomy , groundwater , soil science , geology , biology , ecology , chemistry , botany , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry
This study was conducted in a 19‐yr‐old experimental planting of slash pine ( Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii ) on a level, very poorly drained Bladen soil (clayey, mixed, thermic Typic Albaquult) that was highly deficient in P. Phosphorus applied at planting at rates from 0 to 314 kg/ha in a randomized block design resulted in a concomitant range in stand basal areas from 3 to ≈ 38 m 2 /ha at 17 yr of age. Our objective was to quantify observed differences in height and duration of soil water tables associated with P treatment. Forty‐eight groundwater wells were measured weekly over a 1‐yr period. Drawdown of soil water tables during low rainfall periods was greater and more rapid in the high‐P plots, and the subsequent rise after rainfall was slower. These differences appeared only when the water‐table surface was deeper than about 0.5 m. Above that depth, rapid lateral movement through coarse macropores allowed equilibration among the 0.08‐ha plots, regardless of P treatment. In addition to overcoming acute P deficiency, the single applications of P fertilizers indirectly increased the depth and duration of aerated surface soil, and hence the opportunities for root exploitation.