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Soil Chemistry
Table of Contents
Soil Background
Methodology
Raw Data
(All data compiled)
Aspen Treatments
(Conifers removed from Aspen Stands in Bulls Prairie)
Slash Bust Treatments
Dense stands slash busted then burned to reduce fuel load and mistletoe in Cox Flat
Wildfire
Harvest and Non Harvest Comparisons
(Thomas, Grizzly, Winter, South Warner, Grassy, Toolbox Complex)
Controlled burn
State line under burn
Juniper Treatments
Young juniper cut to release H2O and return sites to historical conditions
(40% Juniper burned 60% left lying)
Chewaucan / Morster Springs / Ben Young
Dense Closed Stands (PinPon)
(Auger Creek – ABE Timber Sale)
Open Stands (PinPon/JunOcc)
Cava Timber Sale
Soil Protocols
Soil Background:
Ammonia-Nitrogen (NH4+1)
A fertile soil may be expected to give a low ammonia
nitrogen test reading unless there has been a recent
application of nitrogenous fertilizer in forms other than
the nitrate. The rapid disappearance of ammonia after
fertilizer application indicates the desired
transformation of the ammonia to the more available
nitrate compounds. In forest soils, ammonia is the
most abundant available form of nitrogen. If there is a
satisfactory rate of nitrogen transformation, the humus
layers of a forest soil will produce very high
concentrations of ammonia nitrogen.
Soil Background:
Nitrate-Nitrogen (NO3-1)
Nitrogen is a component of the chlorophyll (green
color) in plants, thus giving plants the rich green color
characteristics of a healthy plant. Nitrogen promotes
succulence in forage crops and leafy vegetables.
When used at the recommended rates, nitrogen
improves the quality of leaf crops. It also simulates the
utilization of phosphorous, potassium and other
essential nutrient elements. The above-ground growth
of plants is enhanced with nitrogen. Nitrogen hastens
crop maturity (assuming all other nutrients are
adequately supplied and excessive nitrogen rates are
not applied). Nitrogen is very influential in fruit sizing.
Soil Background:
Nitrite-Nitrogen (NO2-1)
Nitrites are formed as an intermediate step in
the production of nitrate. Soils that are well
drained and aerated contain only small
amounts of nitrite nitrogen. Excessive nitrites,
which are toxic to plants, may result from soil
conditions unfavorable to the formation of
nitrate, such as inadequate aeration. High
nitrite readings may also be encountered in
soils with large amounts of nitrates, where a
portion of the nitrate nitrogen decomposes to
form nitrites.
Soil Background Information:
Phosphate (PO4-3)
Phosphorus is necessary for the hardy growth of the
plant and activity of the cells. It encourages root
development, and by hastening the maturity of the
plant, it increases the ratio of grain to straw, as well at
the total yield. It plays an important part in increasing
the palatability of plants and simulates the formation of
fats, convertible, starches, and healthy seed. By
stimulating rapid cells development in the plant,
phosphorus naturally increases the resistance to
disease. An excess of phosphorus does not cause the
harmful effect of excessive nitrogen and has an
important balancing effect upon the plant.
Soil Background Information:
Potassium (K+1)
Potassium
Potassium is not a component of the structural makeup of plants,
yet it plays a vital role in the physiological and biochemical
functions of plants. The exact function of potassium in plants is not
clearly understood, but many beneficial factors, implicating the
involvement and necessity of potassium in plant nutrition have
been demonstrated. Some of these factors are: it enhances
disease resistance by strengthening stalks and stems; activated
various enzyme systems within plants; contributes to a thicker
cuticle (waxy layer) which guards against disease and water loss;
controls the turgor pressure within plants to prevent wilting;
enhances fruit size, flavor, texture and development and is
involved in the production of amino acids (the building blocks for
protein), chlorophyll formation (green-color), starch formation and
sugar transport from leaves to roots
Soil Background Information and
Chemistry Testing Methodology
Methods
Beginning in 2006, Soils were analyzed
for soil chemistry using LaMotte Smart 2
Soil Spectrophotometer/ Colorimeter.
Protocols developed by LaMotte for Soil
Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite, Phosphate and
Potassium were used. All concentrations
are recorded in parts per million and
milligrams per liter (ppm, mg/L).
Aspen Stand Soil Chemistry
Implications of conifer removal
Soil Nitrogen Chem istry in Aspen Stands Soil Chemistry in Aspen Stands
2.00 6.00
1.80
Concentration (ppm, mg/L)
Concentration (ppm, mg/L)
5.00
1.60
4.70
1.40 1.49 4.00
1.20 1.29 Conifer removed
Conifer removed
1.00 3.00 3.53 Outside Stand
Outside Stand
0.80 0.86 2.70 Mixed aspen / conifer
0.70 Mixed aspen / conifer 2.00
0.60 0.63
0.55
0.40 1.00
0.36
0.20 0.10
0.02 0.11 0.04
0.11
0.00 0.00
NH4-N NO3-N NO2-N PO4 K
• Ammonia appears to increase significantly during first year in aspen
stands when conifers removed.
• Nitrites also increase significantly probably due to the conversion of
ammonia to nitrites in the process of becoming nitrates.
• Potassium increases are barely significant (a=.05)
• Other differences are statistically insignificant
» Based on 16 comparative samples
The Effect of Slashbusting followed
by burning on Soil Chemistry
Com parision of Nitrogen Chem istry in Slash Bust Treatm ents
• Burning appears to 3.00
increase ammonia and 2.50 2.35
Concentration (ppm, mg/L)
2.00
nitrate significantly 1.50
Non Slash Bust
Slash Bust
1.11
SB Burn
• Burning appears to 1.00
0.86
0.68
0.50 0.32
decrease potassium 0.00
0.53
0.02 0.00
0.03
NH4-N NO3-N NO2-N
though barely significant
(a=.043) Com parision of Soil Chem istry in Slash Bust Treatm ents
• Control and slashbusted
20
18
Concentration (ppm, mg/L)
16 14.4
sites are not statistically 14
12 10.4 Non Slash Bust
different 10
8
7.8
Slash Bust
SB Burn
6
4
1.77
2 0.58 0.75
0
• Based on 30 comparative samples PO4 K
Soil Chemistry following Wildfire
and Harvest
(on average 24 trees per acre were harvested)
Comparison of Soil Chemistry by Treatment
Comparison of Soil Chemistry by Treatment
(harvest vs non-harvest)
(harvest vs non-harvest)
post Toolbox Complex Wildfire
post Toolbox Complex Wildfire
0.6 10
9
0.5
8
Concentration (ppm)
Concentration (ppm)
0.47
Harvest 7 Harvest
0.4 7.61
0.4 7.17 Non Harvest
Non Harvest 6
6.3
0.3 5
4 5.13
0.2 0.22
3
0.1 0.13 2
0.06 1
0 0.03
0
NH4-N NO3-N NO2-N PO4 K
Though no nutrient levels went up following harvest,
ANOVA tests indicate that there were no statistically
significant differences between harvested and non-
harvested wildfire sites in the Toolbox Complex.
The most significant was nitrate with an alpha value of .055
Results based on 27 comparable samples
Comparison of Juniper Treatments
on Soil Chemistry
Comparison of Soil Nitroten Chemistry in Juniper
Treatments • Nitrates increase
2.5
significantly compared to
Concentration (ppm, mg/L)
2.0 1.77 Burn
1.5
1.11
Cut
Live
all other treatments when
juniper is burned.
0.97 0.94 Open
1.0 0.82
0.49
0.5 0.29 0.34 0.25 0.23 0.29
0.0
NH4-N NO3-N NO2-N
0.07
• Phosphates decrease
significantly when juniper
Comparison of Soil Chemistry by Juniper Treatment Options is cut.
9.0
• All other values are
Concentration (ppm, mg/L)
8.0
6.99
6.72
7.0 6.23
6.0
5.0
6.12
Burn
Cut
statistically insignificant.
Live
4.0
Open
3.0
1.87 1.79
•
1.64
2.0
1.0 0.60 Based on 73 comparative samples
0.0
PO4 K
Role of Woody Debris in Soil
Chemistry
Com parisons of Nitrogen Concentrations in Dense Forests
Com parisons of Nitrogen Concentrations in Dense Forests
1.2 3.5
Concentration (ppm, mg/L)
3
Concentration (ppm, mg/L)
1 2.53
2.5
0.8 Under Duff
0.75 Under Duff 2
0.70 1.45 Exposed
0.6 Exposed
1.5 1.15
Under DWD Under DWD
0.4 0.40 0.38 0.42 1
0.35
0.2 0.5 0.14
0 0
0.07 0 0.00 0
0
PO4 K
NH4-N NO3-N NO2-N
• The small number of comparative samples rends all data statistically
insignificantly
• It does appear that there may be a strong correlation between
thatched duff / litter and nutrient cycling.
• It does not appear that downed woody debris plays much of a role
until it is in later stages of decomposition.
– Results are based on 9 comparative samples
LaMotte Chemical Protocols
Chemical Protocol LaMotte Code
Ammonia-N Nesslerization 3642SC
Nitrate-N Cadmium Reduction 3649SC
Nitrite-N Diazotization 3650SC
Phosphate Ascorbic Acid Reduction 3653SC
Potassium Tetraphenylboron 3639SC
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