Characterization of soils associated with black spruce (Picea mariana (P. Mill.) B.S.P.) in the boreal forest region of Alaska
Title:
Characterization of soils associated with black spruce (Picea mariana (P. Mill.) B.S.P.) in the boreal forest region of Alaska
JLCTITLE245:
by Noreen Zaman.
Personal Author:
Publication Information:
2008.
Physical Description:
xvi, 313 leaves in 2. vol. : ill., maps ; 28 cm.
General Note:
"December 2008."
Dissertaton Note:
Thesis (M.S.)--University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2008.
Abstract:
"Soils were described, sampled, and analyzed from sixteen black spruce-dominated sites in the interior Alaska Uplands and Lowlands and south-central Brooks Range across a range of parent materials, landforms, landform positions, and slopes. Soil morphological, physical, and chemical properties of each horizon were determined. Parent materials included loess, alluvium, residuum, tephra, and glacial till. Both permafrost-dominated and permafrost-free sites were included. The dominant soil texture was silt loam. Soil horizon consistencies were mainly friable when moist, slightly sticky and nonplastic when wet, and extremely firm where frozen. Soil colors had redominantly yellowish hues, except for poorly drained and permafrost-underlain soils which had redoximorphic features. Soil structures were generally granular in surface horizons, subangular blocky in subsurface horizons for most well drained sites, and platy, lenticular, or massive at poorly drained and permfrost-underlain sites. Soil boundaries were generally abrupt or clear smooth except for wavy, broken, or irregular boundaries in horizons that had experienced disturbance. Roots were concentrated in the organic and upper mineral horizons but extended deeper in well drained soils compared to soils with impeded drainage or permafrost. Organic matter content generally decreased with depth except in reduced and frozen horizons, in soils affected by fluvial events, and soils with tephra. Organic matter controls pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable acidity, the forms of extractable aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe), and nutrient availability. Both pH and base saturation increased with depth; CEC, exchangeable acidity, and extractable Fe and Al decreased with depth. The low concentrations of extractable Fe and Al reflect weak weathering in the cold environment. One-half of the organic matter in the studied soils consisted of organic carbon, thus a conversion factor of 2.08 is more appropriate and suggested for interior Alaska black spruce forest soils for estimating soil organic matter from %OC (SOM = (conversion factor) x %OC). Black spruce occurs on a wide range of parent materials, landscapes, and drainage conditions. Thus its status as an indicator species of wetlands must be carefully reassessed to prevent incorrect designation of uplands just because of it's presence"--Leaves iii-iv.
Bibliography Note:
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 197-232).
Corporate Subject:
Subject Term:
Added Corporate Author:
Variant Title:
Title on thesis signature page: Characterization of soils associated with black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) in Alaska
Contents:
1. Introduction -- 2. Literature review -- 2.1. Physiography -- 2.2. Climate -- 2.3. Topography -- 2.4. Geology -- 2.4.1. Bedrock -- 2.4.2. Loess -- 2.4.3. Sand dunes -- 2.4.4. Glaciation and glacial deposits -- 2.4.5. Fluvial deposits -- 2.4.6. Volcanic ash deposits -- 2.4.7. Permafrost -- 2.4.8. Permafrost and soils -- 2.5. Vegetation -- 2.5.1. Boreal forest cover types that include black spruce -- 2.5.2. Black spruce communities in Alaska -- 2.5.3. Range of black spruce -- 2.5.4. Important physiological features of black spruce -- 2.5.5. Succession and black spruce forests -- 2.6. Fire -- 2.6.1. Fire and black spruce -- 2.6.2. Fire and soil -- 2.6.3. Fire and permafrost -- 3. Materials and methods -- 4. Results and discussion -- 4.1. Soil morphology -- 4.1.1. Soil color -- 4.1.1.1. Loess -- 4.1.1.2. Alluvium -- 4.1.1.3. Residuum -- 4.1.1.4. Tephra -- 4.1.1.5. Glacial till -- 4.1.2. Soil texture -- 4.1.2.1. Loess -- 4.1.2.2. Alluvium -- 4.1.2.3. Residuum -- 4.1.2.4. Tephra -- 4.1.2.5. Glacial till -- 4.1.3. Structure -- 4.1.3.1. Loess -- 4.1.3.2. Alluvium -- 4.1.3.3. Residuum -- 4.1.3.4. Tephra -- 4.1.3.5. Glacial till -- 4.1.4. Soil consistency -- 4.1.4.1. Loess -- 4.1.4.2. Alluvium -- 4.1.4.3. Residuum -- 4.1.4.4. Tephra -- 4.1.4.5. Glacial till --4.1.5. Roots -- 4.1.5.1. Loess -- 4.1.5.2. Alluvium -- 4.1.5.3. Residuum -- 4.1.4.4. Tephra -- 4.1.4.5. Glacial till -- 4.1.6. Soil boundaries -- 4.1.6.1. Loess -- 4.1.6.2. Alluvium -- 4.1.6.3. Residuum -- 4.1.6.4. Tephra -- 4.1.6.5. Glacial till -- 4.2. Soil chemistry -- 4.2.1. Soil reaction (pH) -- 4.2.2. Organic carbon -- 4.2.2.1. Organic carbon and bulk density -- 4.2.2.2. Organic carbon and organic matter -- 4.2.2.3. Total nitrogen -- 4.2.3.1. Nitrogen storage -- 4.2.4. C/N ratios -- 4.2.5. Cation exchange capacity (CEC) -- 4.2.6. Exchangeable acidity -- 4.2.7. Phosphorus (available) -- 4.2.8. Total sulfur -- 4.2.9. Base cations -- 4.2.10. Base saturation -- 4.2.11. Iron and aluminum -- 5. Summary and conclusions -- Literature cited -- Appendix I. Scientific and common plant names -- Appendix II. Soil narrative descriptions -- Appendix IIIA. General site characteristics -- Appendix IIIB. Physical soil properties -- Appendix IIIC. Chemical soil properties.