Soil Genesis, Classification, and Mapping
Soil physical, chemical, and mineralogical development associated with Cercocarpus ledifolius stands
- Vegetative induced state and transition indices related to soil development over time
- Controlling factors in pedogenesis: influence of atmospheric dust on shallow horizon mineralogy
- N and P dynamics in relation to mineralogical development over time
Estimating the rate of soil formation is one of the greatest challenges in soil science. It is also of great importance to many science fields that use soil data (hydrological modeling, climate change research, landscape stability, and earthquake risk being a few examples). While it is known that plants affect soil development, information on soil formation is especially lacking in arid ecosystems under the influence of long-lived plant species such as curlleaf mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius, Rosaceae). Because of the long-life of C. ledifolius, the species can provide valuable information on soil development over long periods of time. Preliminary data from southern Nevada suggests that soils under C. ledifolius exhibit significant soil development as compared to soils in open areas. This is especially important for landscape stability and development in the Intermountain West since C. ledifolius sites are often on dry, rocky, low-productivity slopes that otherwise support minimal tree growth. Because C. ledifolius may attain ages in excess of 1000 years and may re-establish in the same positions on the landscape, the potential for quantifying soil development and deriving rates of several soil formation processes is great. Since many models predict the expansion of arid ecosystems with global climate change, C. ledifolius will likely play an even greater role in soil development in the future.
