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ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES in rocky mountain coniferous ...

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As shown <strong>in</strong> figure 10, soil water status was relatively stable <strong>in</strong> the lower soil<br />

profiles and more erratic <strong>in</strong> the upper profiles . Of course, the upper profiles were<br />

respond<strong>in</strong>g to precipitation as well as <strong>in</strong>tensive water consumption by the lower vege-<br />

tation. S<strong>in</strong>ce vegetative demand for water was high at the beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g of the grow<strong>in</strong>g<br />

season, and soil moisture was below field capacity, little if any precipitation passed<br />

through the upper soil profile before it was extracted by the vegetation.<br />

15 20 25 30 35 15 20 25 30 35<br />

15 20 25 30 35<br />

SOIL WATER (PERCENT VOLUME)<br />

SOIL WATER (PERCENT VOLUME)<br />

Figure 10.--Soil water status throughout<br />

the soil profile 2 years after<br />

harvest<strong>in</strong>g a Zarch/fir forest. Note<br />

t h seasonal ~ shift of the soil water<br />

status curves at a22 soil depths <strong>in</strong><br />

the uncut control; the shift,<br />

primarizy <strong>in</strong> the upper soil profile,<br />

of the she Ztemood (residuesremoved<br />

subtreatment); and the very<br />

slight seasonu2 shift <strong>in</strong> the soil<br />

waker stutus curves of the dearcut<br />

(conventionaZ-uti lization-andburn<br />

subtreabent) .

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