Summer water use by aspen, spruce and grassland in western Colorado

Authors

H.E. Brown
J.R. Thompson

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Journal of Forestry

Volume

63

Issue

10

Publisher

Society of American Foresters

First Page

756

Last Page

760

Publication Date

1965

Abstract

Soil moisture was measured in spring and fall of 1955, 1957, and 1958 to determine relative amounts of water use on sites occupied by quaking aspen, Engelmann spruce, and mountain grassland during the summer growing season. Study plots were located on sites where the soil was deep enough to permit gravimetric sampling to a depth of 8 feet. Water use was considered as the difference between soil moisture in the spring and fall, adjusted for summer precipitation. Aspen plots averaged 19.2 inches, spruce 14.9 inches, and grassland 8.9 inches of water use yearly for the 3 years of record. Because the amount of spring soil moisture was significantly different among types, however, and because spring moisture was correlated with water use in aspen and spruce types, it was impossible to attribute differences in water use solely to the type of vegetation.

Recommended Citation

Brown, H.E., Thompson, J.R. 1965. Summer water use by aspen, spruce and grassland in western Colorado. Journal of Forestry 63(10):756-760.