Dynamic Soil Property Characterization In Southeastern Coastal Plain Kandiudults.

The soil resources of the Southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain have been significantly utilized for production of food, fiber and timber.  Isolated remnants of Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris Miller) – Wiregrass (Aristida stricta Michx.) ecosystems provide reference states that allow evaluation of management impacts on dynamic soil properties (DSPs) and assessment of components of soil change.  Physical, chemical and biological DSPs have been evaluated under a variety of long-term (>10 years) production and reference land use systems in Alabama and Georgia Coastal Plain Kandiudults using “space for time” designs. Results have illustrated which measured soil properties are most indicative of soil change (e.g. nutrients, C pools, hydraulic properties), what the magnitude and depth of these changes are, and the degree of management-dependent compared to inherent variability within soil map units (DSPs relatively more variable).  Although these studies were not conducted as ecological site evaluations, some of these findings can be related to ecological site concepts.  As ecological sites and associated state and transition models (STMs) are conceptualized and developed in this region, the placement and characterization of intensively managed production systems and DSPs presents challenges.  Current concepts propose that DSPs be utilized for characterizing states and transitions, and further understanding of DSPs in this region will aid in this process.