Infiltration,Runoff, and Sediment Yield in Response to Western Juniper Encroachment in Southeast Oregon |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Plant and Animal Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84604, USA;2. Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;1. Graduate Assistant, Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA,;2. Associate Professor, Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA;;3. Professor, Department of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA;;4. Associate Professor, Department of Statistical Science, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA;5. Wildlife Biologist, Bureau of Land Management, Dillon, MT 59725, USA.;1. Geospatial Specialist, US Department of Agriculture?Agricultural Research Service Jornada Experimental Range, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003–8003, USA;2. Research Ecologist, US Department of Agriculture?Agricultural Research Service Jornada Experimental Range, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003–8003, USA;3. Assistant Professor, University of Colorado at Boulder, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Boulder, CO 80309, USA;4. Assistant Professor, New Mexico State University, Department of Engineering Technology and Surveying Engineering, Las Cruces, NM 88003–8001, USA;5. Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, UT 84532, USA;1. Plant Ecologist, work performed while at Missouri State University, Biology Department, Springfield, MO, USA, currently at Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network, Republic, MO 65738, USA;2. Research Assistant Professor, Department of Horticulture, and Natural Resources, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA;3. Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583-0915, USA;4. Regents Professor and Groendyke Chari in Wildlife Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA;5. Professor, Kansas State University, Division of Biology, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA;6. Professor and Extension Economist, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA |
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| Abstract: | Infiltration was measured in a western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis Hook.) watershed to characterize the hydrologic processes associated with landscape position. Infiltration rate, runoff, and sediment content were measured with the use of a small-plot rainfall simulator. Study sites were located in each of the four primary aspects (north, south, east, and west). Research sites were located in two ecological sites—South Slopes 12–16 PZ and North Slopes 12–16 PZ. Within aspect, plots were located in three juniper cover levels: high (> 22%), moderate (13%–16%), and low (<3%) juniper canopy cover. During rainfall simulation, water was applied at a 10.2-cm · h?1 rate, levels comparable to an infrequent, short-duration, high-intensity precipitation event. Runoff was measured at 5-min intervals for 60 min. Comparing canopy cover levels, steady-state infiltration rates on control plots (9.0 cm · h?1) was 68% greater than high juniper cover sites (2.87 cm · h?1) and 34% greater than moderate juniper cover sites (5.97 cm · h?1) on south-facing slopes. On north-facing slopes, no differences in infiltration rates were observed between juniper cover levels, demonstrating differential hydrologic responses associated with ecological site. Generally, all water applied to control plots infiltrated. Highest infiltration rates were positively associated with increased surface litter and shrub cover. In addition, depth of water within the soil profile was lowest in high juniper cover plots. This suggests that less water is available to sustain understory and intercanopy plant growth in areas with high juniper cover. Accelerated runoff and erosion in juniper dominated sites (high level) across east-, west-, and south- facing slopes can lead to extensive degradation to the hydrology of those sites. These data suggest that sustained hydrologic processes are achieved with reduced western juniper canopy cover. |
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