Description of the Fork Mountain Long-Term Soil Productivity Study: Site Characterization

摘要

The effects of air pollution and timber harvesting on soil resources continue to be an important issue in eastern hardwood forests. This publication describes the Fork Mountain Long-term Soil Productivity Study (LTSP), located on the Fernow Experimental Forest, WV, and the pretreatment stand, soil and climatic conditions. Extensive vegetation surveys, biomass determinations, site characterization, and analyses of soil physical and chemical characteristics are described herein. The Fork Mountain LTSP site is, based on most metrics, a highly productive site with vegetative diversity typical of most second growth Appalachian hardwood forests. Other than relatively low soil nutrient levels, site characteristics suggest few problems with regeneration. Based on soil characteristics, the site may be susceptible to leaching of base cations as a result of high levels of acidic deposition. Productivity and nutrient characteristics, particularly calcium, varied across the site spatially, but are accommodated in the experimental design. We continue to monitor the response of this ecosystem to these treatments.