Semester
Fall
Date of Graduation
2005
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MS
College
Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design
Department
Horticulture
Committee Chair
Jeff Skousen.
Abstract
The Cherry River watershed project area is underlain by acid-forming geology. The objectives of this study were to determine the physical and chemical properties of the soils, classify the soils, and to assess the acid risk to the forests. Sixty-seven soil pedons were sampled by horizon across six landscape positions and the soil samples were analyzed. The soils of the watershed were all acid. The east area soils were more acid than the west area soils. The shoulder soils showed the highest risk and the floodplain soils showed the lowest risk of forest productivity decline. While both areas showed high acidification and forest productivity risk, the east area soils have higher risk for forest productivity decline in the future. While a few forest regeneration failures are known to have occurred after harvesting in this area, further acidification potentially will reduce the regeneration of a marketable timber stand.
Recommended Citation
Sponaugle, Cara L., "Properties and acid risk assessment of soils in two parts of the Cherry River watershed, West Virginia" (2005). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 2227.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/2227