Does soil calcium affect soil moisture?

Joe Kendrick

Bennington College

MELNHE Project Summer Intern

Background

Calcium-silicate (CaSiO3) addition can…• Increase tree growth and survival(Juice et al. 2006).

• Regulate sap flow (Zahor et al. 2013).

• Increase evapotranspiration at the watershed level (Green et al. 2013).

Calcium has been shown to be more available in young forests (Hamburg et al. 2003).

Questions

• Does calcium addition result in a decrease in soil moisture at the plot level during the growing season?

• How does this differ with stand age, nutrient availability and soil depth?

Hypotheses

• Soil Moisture will decrease during the growing season in fertilized plots.

• The difference will be greatest in older stands, nutrient poor stands, and closer to the forest floor.

Study Site

• Six calcium fertilized plots paired with control plots in the white mountains of New Hampshire.

• Plots across an age and nutrient gradient.

Methods

• Dataloggers were placed in each plot after fertilization in 2011.

• Soil Volumetric Moisture Content (VMC) was recorded at 10 cm, 30 cm, and 50 cm.

Results

ResultsHubbard Brook Ca:• Mature forest (100+

years)• Intermittent nutrient

availability• Data taken at 30 cm

Bartlett C8• Mature forest (100+

years)• Low nutrient

availability• Data taken at 50 cm

Results

ANCOVA: P<.001

ANCOVA: P>.1

Future Work

• Loggers are fixed: better data in the fall

• Test for night and day

• Alternative analysis to account for autocorrelation: analyze data as a time series

A huge thank you to:• Mark Green• Lily Zahor• Michelle Pruyn• Adan Hernandez• Ruth Yanai• Craig See• Adam Wild

• Brannon Barr• Rick Biche• Franklin Diggs• The 2013 Shoestring Crew• Bartlett Experimental Forest• Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest

Photo CreditsSlide 1: Photo by Matt Vadaboncoeur

Slide 2: http://hubbardbrook.org/research/longterm/calcium/w1_overview/casi41.htm

Slide 5: Map by Matt Vadaboncoeur

Slide 6: Photo by Lily Zahor

Slide 7: http://www.homeshieldxp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/deer-mouse.jpg

References• Green, Mark B., et al. "Decreased water flowing from a forest amended with calcium silicate." Proceedings of the National Academy of

Sciences 110.15 (2013): 5999-6003.• Hamburg, Steven P., et al. "Biotic control of calcium cycling in northern hardwood forests: acid rain and aging forests." Ecosystems 6.4

(2003): 399-406.• Juice, Stephanie M., et al. "Response of sugar maple to calcium addition to northern hardwood forest." Ecology 87.5 (2006): 1267-1280.• Zahor, Lily E., et al. “The Impact of Calcium on Transpiration in an Acid Rain Impacted Forest. “ Plymouth State University Office of

Research & Engagement Student Showcase, April 27, 2013.