Bedrock, soils, and hillslope hydrology in the Central Texas Hill Country, USA: implications on environmental management in a carbonate-rock terrain

Woodruff, C. M.; Wilding, L. P.

doi:10.1007/s00254-007-1011-4

Cited by 15 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Across the Balcones Escarpment to the west is the Hill Country, an eastern end of the Edwards Plateau ecoregion. This region has a rugged landscape with numerous hills and valleys formed by exposed limestone bedrocks (Marsh and Marsh, 1995;Woodruff and Wilding, 2008). The soil in this region is shallow and composed of gravel and clay loam weathered from the underlain Cretaceous limestone bedrock (Soil Conservation Service, 1974).…”

Section: Study Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating alien plant invasion in urban riparian forests in a hot and semi-arid region

Sung

Rogers

et al. 2011

Landscape and Urban Planning

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Section: Study Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating alien plant invasion in urban riparian forests in a hot and semi-arid region

Sung

Rogers

et al. 2011

Landscape and Urban Planning

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“…The Walnut Clay layer lies above the Glen Rose limestone and the interface gives rise to perennial seeps, which feed into contributing channels of the ephemeral stream at the bottom of the canyon. The Glen Rose limestone formation contains alternating layers of more and less soluble rock, which has produced a stair step physiognomy (Woodruff and Wilding 2007), with steep ''riser'' sites associated with comparatively deep soils and marl (typically 1-3 m thick) and flat ''tread'' sites where hard, consolidated dolostone layers are exposed and the soil is thin.…”

Section: Site Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The water relations of two evergreen tree species in a karst savanna

Schwinning

2008

Oecologia

104

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The ecohydrology of karst has not received much attention, despite the disproportionally large contribution of karst aquifers to freshwater supplies. Karst savannas, like many savannas elsewhere, are encroached by woody plants, with possibly negative consequences on aquifer recharge. However, the role of savanna tree species in hydrological processes remains unclear, not least because the location and water absorption zones of tree roots in the spatially complex subsurface strata are unknown. This study examined the water sources and water relations of two savanna trees, Quercus fusiformis (Small) and Juniperus ashei (Buchholz) in the karst region of the eastern Edwards Plateau, Texas (USA). Stable isotope analysis of stem water revealed that both species took up evaporatively enriched water during the warm season, suggesting a relatively shallow water source in the epikarst, the transition zone between soil and bedrock. Q. fusiformis had consistently higher predawn water potentials than J. ashei during drought, and thus was probably deeper-rooted and less capable of maintaining gas exchange at low water potentials. Although the water potential of both species recovered after drought-breaking spring and summer rain events, associated shifts in stem water isotope ratios did not indicate significant uptake of rainwater from the shallow soil. A hypothesis is developed to explain this phenomenon invoking a piston-flow mechanism that pushes water stored in macropores into the active root zones of the trees. Epikarst structure varied greatly with parent material and topography, and had strong effects on seasonal fluctuations in plant water status. The study suggests that tree species of the Edwards Plateau do not commonly reduce aquifer recharge by tapping directly into perched water tables, but more likely by reducing water storage in the epikarst. A more general conclusion is that models of savanna water relations based on Walter's two-layer model may not apply unequivocally to karst savannas.

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“…1), to define soil/regolith conditions, landform relationships, and hydrologic processes in 26 trench exposures (Woodruff et al, 1992;Woodruff and Wilding, 2008). 1), to define soil/regolith conditions, landform relationships, and hydrologic processes in 26 trench exposures (Woodruff et al, 1992;Woodruff and Wilding, 2008).…”

Section: Field Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With increased land-use pressures, water management, conservation, and environmental protection become critical issues to landowners, developers, regulatory authorities, and the lay public (Woodruff et al, 1992;Wilcox et al, 2007;Woodruff and Wilding, 2008). In fact, many lay public and even some geoscience professionals questioned whether "soils" existed in these landscapes, or whether the land surface simply represented a geologic regolith without the classical biological activity attributed to soils (Woodruff and Wilding, 2008). Until recently, little was known regarding the hydrologic properties or bioremediation potential of caliche soils .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Hydropedology in Caliche Soils Weathered from Glen Rose Limestone of Lower Cretaceous Age in Texas

et al. 2012

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Bedrock, soils, and hillslope hydrology in the Central Texas Hill Country, USA: implications on environmental management in a carbonate-rock terrain

Cited by 15 publications

References 8 publications

Investigating alien plant invasion in urban riparian forests in a hot and semi-arid region

Investigating alien plant invasion in urban riparian forests in a hot and semi-arid region

The water relations of two evergreen tree species in a karst savanna

Hydropedology in Caliche Soils Weathered from Glen Rose Limestone of Lower Cretaceous Age in Texas

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