Undisturbed Soils, Landscapes, and Vegetation in a North Carolina Piedmont Virgin Forest

Abstract

AbstractThe North Carolina Piedmont has been farmed for nearly 200 yr and there is considerable concern about the effect of soil erosion on the productivity of Piedmont soils. Most attempts to assess the effect of erosion on soil properties and productivity have few comparable virgin areas to use for baseline data. Fortunately, a 12‐ha virgin tract, mapped as Cecil sandy loam, B and C slopes, was located on the Guilford College campus in Greensboro, NC. The purpose of our study was to quantify the physical and chemical properties of a virgin Cecil soil map unit and to compare soil properties and distribution to that of cultivated sites. Detailed studies of the surficial sediments, geomorphology and soil morphology were made along five transects run at right angles to the topographic trend. Maps of hillslope sediment thickness and geomorphic surfaces were made using the information from the transects and bore holes. Pedons were sampled by landscape position for laboratory analyses. Horizon thickness and depth to residual material varied with landscape position. Nutrient status of all virgin soil horizons are very low, especially when compared to cultivated sites.