Soil conditions in three recent landslides in Southeast Alaska

Abstract

Soils in some recent landslides were studied to better understand limitations to revegetation and management. Large areas of the landslides, particularly the scour zones, had limited rooting potential due to exposed rock or large organic debris. Soil bulk density was generally higher in the scour zones than in the deposit areas. Soil chemistry in the landslides was highly variable, probably due to uneven mixing of deposited material and post-landslides was highly variabele, probably debris into scour areas. Soil fertility, however, was generally greater in deposit areas than in scour zones, where fertility was often comparable to mineral horizons of similar undisturbed soils. Although revegetation and plant growth in these and similar landslide units are likely to respond more favorably to soil conditions in the deposit area, they are still expected to be highly variable within a deposit or scour area and among different landslides.