Contributions of water supply from the weathered bedrock zone to forest soil quality

Abstract

One measure of forest soil quality is the ability of the soil to support tree growth. In mediterranean-type ecosystems, such as most of California's forests, there is virtually no rainfall during the summer growing season, so trees must rely on water stored within the substrate. Water is the primary limitation to productivity in these forests. Many forest soils in California are relatively thin, but are underlain by thick zones of weathered bedrock. Weathered granitic bedrock, the most prevalent lithology, has available water capacities (0.12-cm water/cm rock) that approach those of soils (0.2-cm water/cm soil) and, because the weathered rock zone is usually so much thicker (several meters) than the soil (

Citation

Witty, James H.; Graham, Robert C.; Hubbert, Kenneth R.; Doolittle, James A.; Wald, Jonathan A. 2003. Contributions of water supply from the weathered bedrock zone to forest soil quality. Geoderma. 114: 389-400