Responses of soil and water chemistry to mountain pine beetle induced tree mortality in Grand County, Colorado, USA

Content Provider	Semantic Scholar
Author	Clow, David W. Rhoades, Charles C. Briggs, Jennifer Caldwell, Megan K. Lewis, William M.
Copyright Year	2011
Abstract	Abstract Pine forest in northern Colorado and southern Wyoming, USA, are experiencing the most severe mountain pine beetle epidemic in recorded history, and possible degradation of drinking-water quality is a major concern. The objective of this study was to investigate possible changes in soil and water chemistry in Grand County, Colorado in response to the epidemic, and to identify major controlling influences on stream-water nutrients and C in areas affected by the mountain pine beetle. Soil moisture and soil N increased in soils beneath trees killed by the mountain pine beetle, reflecting reduced evapotranspiration and litter accumulation and decay. No significant changes in stream-water NO 3 - or dissolved organic C were observed; however, total N and total P increased, possibly due to litter breakdown or increased productivity related to warming air temperatures. Multiple-regression analyses indicated that % of basin affected by mountain pine beetles had minimal influence on stream-water NO 3 - and dissolved organic C; instead, other basin characteristics, such as percent of the basin classified as forest, were much more important.
File Format	PDF HTM / HTML
DOI	10.1016/j.apgeochem.2011.03.096
Alternate Webpage(s)	http://cires.colorado.edu/files/5713/9178/7255/Pub208.pdf
Alternate Webpage(s)	http://cires.colorado.edu/limnology/sites/default/files/pubs/Pub208.pdf
Alternate Webpage(s)	https://cires.colorado.edu/limnology/sites/default/files/pubs/Pub208.pdf
Alternate Webpage(s)	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2011.03.096
Volume Number	26
Language	English
Access Restriction	Open
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article