Soil-site relationships and soil characteristics associated with even-aged red maple ( Acer rubrum) stands in Wisconsin and Michigan

Abstract

Sixty even-aged red maple sites were sampled throughout northern Wisconsin and Michigan. Site productivity, measured by site index and total biomass production, was related to soil physical parameters through stepwise regression. Both site index and total biomass production were predicted from regression equations based on physical soil properties which were generally related to presence of a water table, presence of clay in the profile, and overall profile and spodic horizon development. Three soil productivity groups were recognized based upon soil parent material and drainage, with the mean site indices, mean annual biomass increments, and total biomass production, respectively, for each group as follows: (I) 18.9 m, 3.6 t ha −1 year −1, 222 t ha −1; (II) 17.6 m, 3.4 t ha −1 year −1, 220 t ha −1; and (III) 14.9 m, 2.8 t ha −1 year −1, 184 t ha −1. The Group I soils were generally lacustrine and moderately well-drained glacial till soils; the Group II soils were glacial till and wet glacial outwash soils; and the Group III soils were the dry outwash and poorly drained glacial till soils. The largest forest floor nutrient pool was associated with the Group I soils. While soil nutrient pools displayed greater variability, the Group I soils had the greatest amount of N and K, Group II soils had the greatest amount of Ca and Mg, and Group III soils had the most P.