Identifying Ecological Sites and Their Susceptibility to Human Distrubance In the North-Central Applachians, USA.

The USDA NRCS Soil Survey program is now initiating two high priority tasks across eastern U.S. landscapes: (1) soil change inventory of dynamic soil properties (DSPs) effected by natural and management induced disturbance, and (2) accelerated development of Ecological Sites and Descriptions (ESDs)(USDA-NRCS, 2010).  Soil change monitoring of DSPs, and ESD development, has been successfully implemented in western range and forest lands, and effectively used via State and Transition Models (S&T Models) to aid land management decisions. The scale of landscape disturbance from historic landscape change, coupled with current Marcellus Shale gas drilling disturbance, presents a clear potential for deterioration of many ecosystems and their functions dependent upon soil.   We present results of research across Pennsylvania that identifies patterns of landscape fragmentation and hydrologic connectivity associated with Marcellus Shale development.  We also present results showing new methods of mapping soil wetness, potentially soil carbon, and the documentation of changes in surface flow paths with development.