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Soil water phenomena of a shortgrass prairie site

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dc.contributor.authorVan Haveren, Bruce P., author
dc.contributor.authorStriffler, William D. (William David), advisor
dc.contributor.authorKlute, Arnold, committee member
dc.contributor.authorMeiman, James R. (James Richard), committee member
dc.contributor.authorJameson, Donald A., committee member
dc.date.accessioned2007-01-03T06:13:00Z
dc.date.available2007-01-03T06:13:00Z
dc.date.issued1974
dc.description.abstractThis thesis represents an investigation of soil water recharge and depletion phenomena on a shortgrass prairie site in northeastern Colorado. Soil type, grazing intensity, and various topographic variables were all studied to determine their influence on the soil water balance. The soil water balance was subdivided into three periods: recharge due to snowmelt, recharge due to spring rainfall, and growing season depletion. It was estimated that over 60% of the winter precipitation was lost to a combination of evaposublimation and wind transport of snow; it is highly likely that wind-transported snow accounts for over half of this loss. Despite this loss, approximately 48% of the total soil water recharge received between growing seasons 1970 and 1971 was derived from snowmelt. On some optimum sites snowmelt accounted for over 70% of the total recharge. Of the many topographic variables affecting snow retention on the prairie, slope exposure to prevailing winds appears to be the most important, with leeward slopes trapping considerably more snow than windward slopes. In evaluating position-on-slope, it was found that sites which occupy the middle and lower one-third slope positions are optimum sites for snow accumulation. In addition, this study supports the conclusions of earlier workers, who found that snow retention is directly related to vegetation height. Under the precipitation regime of 1971, soil water recharge by rainfall appeared to be independent of the various soil, grazing, and topographic variables investigated. Thus, it is concluded that the spatial distribution of soil water recharge received between growing seasons on the prairie is largely dependent upon patterns of snow retention and redistribution. Actual evapotranspiration fell below potential evapotranspiration early in the growing season on all sites. Thus, patterns in soil water recharge had an important influence on spatial distribution of seasonal evapotranspiration. This influence apparently overshadowed soil type and grazing intensity effects on soil water depletion. Soil water potential data, obtained with thermocouple psychrometers, substantially supported the idea that the soil water regime on the shortgrass prairie is indeed dry. Soil water potentials at depths above 40 cm in most soils reached the -70 bar limit by the end of July, 1971. These results indicate the potential usefulness of thermocouple psychrometers in field studies of soil-water and soil-plant-water relations.
dc.format.mediummasters theses
dc.identifier1974_Summer_VanHaveren_Bruce.pdf
dc.identifierETDF1974400022GEOS
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10217/81207
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relationCatalog record number (MMS ID): 991009642079703361
dc.relationSB197.I5 no.247
dc.relationwwdl
dc.relation.ispartof1950-1979
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.subject.lcshGrassland ecology -- Colorado
dc.subject.lcshNatural history -- Colorado
dc.titleSoil water phenomena of a shortgrass prairie site
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineEarth Resources
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (M.S.)

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