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Particle Density of Aspen, Spruce, and Pine Forest Floors in Alberta, Canada
Author(s) -
Redding T. E.,
Hannam K. D.,
Quideau S. A.,
Devito K. J.
Publication year - 2005
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/sssaj2005.0018
Subject(s) - environmental science , bulk density , range (aeronautics) , forest floor , loss on ignition , soil science , organic matter , particle (ecology) , porosity , soil water , ecology , geology , chemistry , environmental chemistry , materials science , biology , geotechnical engineering , composite material
Soil particle density (ρ s ), the ratio of the mass of soil solids to the volume of solids, is used to derive such properties as soil porosity and heat capacity, which are critical to understanding and modeling water, energy, and nutrient fluxes through forested landscapes. Values of forest floor ρ s and organic matter particle density (ρ o ) vary widely in the literature, so it is difficult to know which values are appropriate under different circumstances. We measured ρ s , ρ o , bulk density (ρ b ), loss‐on‐ignition (LOI), and total C for a range of forest types in northern Alberta, Canada. Although samples were obtained from a diverse range of forest types, our measured values of forest floor ρ s (1.52–1.60 Mg m −3 ) and calculated values of ρ o (1.41–1.44 Mg m −3 ) showed no statistically significant differences among stand types. The measured values of ρ s and ρ o were greater than many values in the literature, potentially due to differences in measurement methods. Measurements of ρ s should be performed across a range of forest floor and organic soil types to refine our understanding of the variation in this fundamental soil property.