Characterizing the Physical Environment

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Characterizing the Physical Environment
Focus is LOCAL, not global or regional
What are the site properties? What site
properties might constraint management
activities? Are there sensitive areas that might
be changed by management?
Reading Anderson and Ingram, Tropical Soil
Biology and Fertility A Handbook of Methods,
Chap. 2 Site Description available as
electronic reserve on the web page Also on
Library Reserve Brady and Weil, Elements of
the Nature and Properties of Soils
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Well focus on 3 aspects of the Physical
Environment Hydrology Microclimate Soils
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Water
Quantities Flow rates Chemistry Temperature
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Kimmins 1996
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IDENTIFY Watersheds Streams Lakes Riparian
areas Wetlands Topography, Geomorphology,
etc.
L. Molloy
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Hydrology is linked to microclimate and soils in
many ways
Topography Habitat Riparian areas Precipitation
affects soil moisture and temperature Precipitatio
n affects vegetation and subsequently soils and
microclimate Groundwater flow ..
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Microclimate
Local climatic conditions that differ from the
regional climate Caused by topography,
vegetation, humans
e.g. Air temperature Soil temperature
Precipitation Quantity of Rainfall,
Snowfall Chemistry of each
Wind Solar radiation
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A few basic atmospheric principles Hot air
rises less dense Cold air sinks more
dense Air moves from hot areas cold
areas (high pressure) (low pressure) Hot air
holds more water
Changing vegetation can affect soil and air
temperatures, wind patterns, humidity, light,
etc.. which can affect revegetation,
restoration...
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Solar Radiation Temperature
Solar radiation shortwave radiation Earth
radiation longwave radiation
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Brady and Weil 2002
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Changes in air temperature from forested to
open areas with little topographic effect
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Forman 1995
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Example of Diurnal Effects on Winds
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Winds ???
Puget Sound area map
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Example of Topographic effects on temperature
Cold, clear NIGHT
Cool, clear DAY
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Example of Topographic effects on winds
Day time
Night time
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Example of Topographic effects on winds
Day time valley wind
Night time mountain wind
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Example of Topographic effects on winds and
precipitation
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Lee Forest Contour MapApprox 525-625 feet
elevation
Lee Forest contour map
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Lee Forest Stand Trails Map 1985
Photo of Lee in 1985---stands, open areas, etc
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Lee Forest Stand Map2000
Photo of Lee in 2000---stands, open areas, etc
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Effects of Animals and Grazing on Topography in
Iceland
Photo of sheep curled under the edge of an eroded
bank
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Effects of grazing on Vegetation and Soils and
Temperature and Moisture and ? in Iceland!
Photos of browsing by sheep on birch forest and
subsequent denuded landscape
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Urban climate
Heat Island
Miller 2004
Example of an idealized urban heat island showing
late afternoon temperature changes with density
of development.
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Microclimate measurements
Temperature Wind speed Rainfall (quantity and
quality) Throughfall (quantity and quality)
Max/Min Thermometer
Wind speed gauge
Wind direction?
Precipitation
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Microclimate can affect?? vegetation wildlife
soils water . By changing temperature,
water, wind.
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Soils
Photo of soil
Know whats there soil types landscape
patterns major physical properties
chemistry? biota? Past land-use effects
Indianola soil
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Soil types and Landscape Patterns
A soil association common in the Puget Sound area
showing soil type relative to different glacial
deposits
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(the study of landforms and their relationship to
underlying rocks )
Geomorphology
Topographic Maps Geologic Maps
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Schoeneberger et al. 1998
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Same photo as slide 4
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Land and soil stability
Examples of types of hillslope failures
Soil type is typically related to slope stability
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Dunne and Leopold, 1998
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Collecting Soil Information
Soil Surveys Maps Profile descriptions Tables
on soil properties physical, chemical enginee
ring land capabilities plant growth
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ALDERWOOD SERIES The Alderwood series consists
of moderately deep to a cemented pan, moderately
well drained soils formed in glacial till.
Alderwood soils are on glacially modified
foothills and valleys and have slopes of 0 to 65
percent. The average annual precipitation is
about 40 inches, and the mean annual temperature
is about 50 degrees F. TYPICAL PEDON Ap--0 to
7 inches very dark grayish brown gravelly ashy
sandy loam moderate fine granular structure
slightly acid (pH 6.2). (3 to 7 inches thick).
Roots? Bs1--7 to 21 inches dark yellowish
brown very gravelly ashy sandy loam weak medium
subangular blocky structure slightly acid (pH
6.2). Bs2--21 to 30 inches dark brown very
gravelly ashy sandy loam weak medium subangular
blocky structure slightly acid (pH 6.2).
(Combined Bs1 and Bs2 horizons are 15 to 30
inches thick) 2Bs3--30 to 35 inches 50
olive/yellowish brown and 50 dark greyish brown
very gravelly sandy loam, some cemented
fragments, massive moderately acid (pH 6.0). (0
to 15 inches thick) 2Bsm--35 to 43 inches dark
grayish brown cemented layer that crushes to very
gravelly sandy loam massive 40 percent pebbles
moderately acid (pH 6.0). (5 to 20 inches thick)
2Cd--43 to 60 inches grayish brown compact
glacial till that breaks to very gravelly sandy
loam massive extremely hard 40 percent
pebbles moderately acid (pH 6.0).
Photo of soil series
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Soil Measurements in the Field
Soil horizons depths and properties-use tape
measure for depths
Soil Temperature-use soil thermometer
Depth to water table-tape measure of water to
water table
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Collect grab samples for chemical analysis
Know volume sample for bulk density With
horizon depth, bulk density and concentration,
you can then determine the quantity of an element
in an area
Ziplock bags for soil samples
Photo of bulk density corer
One way to measure bulk density is using a corer
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Preliminary soil analysis in the Lab
Photo of 2mm sieve
Sieve samples to 2mm Air dry samples after
returning from field for chemical
analysis Oven dry for moisture content or
bulk density (105oC)
Photo of Balance
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Some Soil analyses.
Photo of Flow analyzer (NH4, NO3, SO4,)
Photo of pH meter
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Environmental Characterization

• Gather available knowledge of the site
• -- Local or regional climate data
• -- Collect maps topographic, geologic, soils
• -- Determine possible impacts from available
  knowledge get site history
• -- Examine site determine site specific issues
  and info needed

2. Develop a plan for collecting data --
What is the most important data needed? --
Where will you collect samples from or take
measurements? (spatially) -- How often will
you collect it? -- How will samples be
analyzed? -- Do you have all data needed
to utilize a measurement? -- Can you afford
this?
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Environmental Characterization
3. Understand the limitation of instruments,
types of chemical analyses -- e.g.,
total versus dissolved P

• Make sure the data collection will address needs
  
• without artifacts or bias or waste
  (rethink!)
• -- enough samples? replication? random
  sampling or
• blocking for an environmental gradient?
• right location?
• -- proper chemical analysis?
• -- everything you need to make a final
  calculation and
• final report?

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Gather available knowledge of the site
Develop a plan for collecting data
Understand the limitation of data
Photo of subalpine forest landscape
Make sure the data collection will address needs
without artifacts or bias or waste
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A. FSP Format Content

• Cover Page
• Table of Contents
• Landowners Objective (s)
• General Property Description
• Resource Descriptions Recommendations
• Management Timetable
• Summary Checklist Signature Pages
• Photo or Map
• Supplemental Materials

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5. Resource Descriptions Recommendations

• Forest Health
• Timber Wood Products
• Soils
• Water Quality, Riparian and Wetland Areas
• Fish and Wildlife Habitat
• Threatened Endangered Species and Cultural
  Resources
• Aesthetics and Recreation
• Agro-forestry Special Forest Products

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5. Resource Descriptions Recommendations, cont

• Federal guidelines require that all 8 categories
  be addressed in a Forest Stewardship Plan
• For each category describe the following (for
  each stand)
• Existing resource conditions
• Resource protection measures (required)
• Resource management enhancement recommendations

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Category IIISoils

• Soil types
• Slope stability
• Erosion
• Productivity
• Compaction
• Engineering consideration (road trail
  construction)

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Category IV Water Quality, Riparian Wetland
Areas

• Stream types
• Sedimentation
• Water temperature
• Domestic water sources
• Groundwater contamination potential
• Riparian conditions regulations (buffers)

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Category V Fish Wildlife Habitat

• Species use presence (seasonality)
• Food, water
• Resting hiding cover
• Thermal cover
• Nesting rearing
• Travel corridors
• Habitat on surrounding properties
• Censuses of wildlife understory vegetation,
  snags, stumps, down woody material

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