Differences in Water Transfer Mechanisms between Aspen and Conifer Communities: The Fate of Spring Snow Melt in the Northern Rocky Mountain Watershed
Location
Eccles Conference Center
Event Website
http://water.usu.edu/
Start Date
3-27-2006 10:50 AM
End Date
3-27-2006 10:55 AM
Description
Differences in water balance between aspen and conifer vegetative communities occur as a result of complex physical and biological interactions. Water yield augmentation experiments have allowed for speculation on the effects of cover type conversion, with general agreement that deciduous forests yield more water than coniferous forests. However, there still remains a gap in our knowledge of the biological and physical mechanisms leading to net water yield differences between forested community types. Type conversion from mature conifer to mature aspen forest has not been adequately tested due to the long time required for re-growth. An understanding of water transfer mechanisms and water storage pools can be attained on a short time scale using combinations of ecophysiological and hydrological techniques. Preliminary data in the following study indicates differences in water transfer mechanisms are occurring between aspen and conifer communities in a Northern Rocky Mountain watershed. The evaluation of several water transfer mechanisms, including; snow accumulation, ablation, evaporation/ sublimation, soil moisture recharge, and transpiration are being undertaken throughout the fall and spring snowmelt. Our data suggests that mechanisms leading to significant water yield differences will include; snow interception and associated sublimation, and soil moisture status as effected by differences in the seasonal transpiration patterns.
Differences in Water Transfer Mechanisms between Aspen and Conifer Communities: The Fate of Spring Snow Melt in the Northern Rocky Mountain Watershed
Eccles Conference Center
Differences in water balance between aspen and conifer vegetative communities occur as a result of complex physical and biological interactions. Water yield augmentation experiments have allowed for speculation on the effects of cover type conversion, with general agreement that deciduous forests yield more water than coniferous forests. However, there still remains a gap in our knowledge of the biological and physical mechanisms leading to net water yield differences between forested community types. Type conversion from mature conifer to mature aspen forest has not been adequately tested due to the long time required for re-growth. An understanding of water transfer mechanisms and water storage pools can be attained on a short time scale using combinations of ecophysiological and hydrological techniques. Preliminary data in the following study indicates differences in water transfer mechanisms are occurring between aspen and conifer communities in a Northern Rocky Mountain watershed. The evaluation of several water transfer mechanisms, including; snow accumulation, ablation, evaporation/ sublimation, soil moisture recharge, and transpiration are being undertaken throughout the fall and spring snowmelt. Our data suggests that mechanisms leading to significant water yield differences will include; snow interception and associated sublimation, and soil moisture status as effected by differences in the seasonal transpiration patterns.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/runoff/2006/AllPosters/3