Soil characteristics and landcover relationships on soil hydraulic conductivity at a hillslope scale: a view towards local flood management

摘要: There are surprisingly few studies in humid temperate forests which provide reliable evidence that soil permeability is enhanced under forests. This work addresses this research gap through a detailed investigation of on hillslope the Eddleston Catchment, Scottish Borders UK, to evaluate impact land cover, superficial geology and types using measurements field saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) supported by topsoil profile descriptions counting roots with diameters >2 mm. Kfs was measured at depth 0.04–0.15 m constant head well permeameter across four paired landcover sites adjacent tree intensely grazed grassland. The were: 500-year-old mixed woodland; 180-year-old 45-year-old Pinus sylvestris plantation; Salix caprea woodland. respective grids trees grassland were compared similar texture topography. This study highlights significant broadleaf woodland scale comparison areas: median values S. (8 mm h−1), (119 h−1) (174 found be respectively 8, 6 5 times higher than neighbouring areas same geology. Further statistical analysis indicates such enhancement associated presence coarse (>2 diameter) creating conduits for preferential flow deeper organic layer woodlands. By contrast P. forest had only slightly (42 but not statistically different values, when pasture (35 h−1). In areas, absence course roots, dominant accounting differences Kfs, alluvium floodplain having significantly lower (1 surrounding sites, range from 21 39 h−1.