Soil characteristics in a bottomland hardwood forest five years after hydrologic restoration

Abstract

The hydrology of the bottomland hardwood forest in Central Ohio was restored in the spring of 2000 by the creation of four breaches in the protective levee along the Olentangy River. A 2005 study was conducted to characterize water content, bulk density, soil color, and total organic content of soils near two of the breaches in relation to elevation, and to compare to previously collected pre and post hydrologic restoration studies. The percentage of hydric soils in the floodplain study areas was 60%, comparable to data collected in 2003. Samples collected in upland areas of higher elevation displayed lower organic content and higher chroma values consistent with areas receiving minimal flooding and non-hydric conditions. Samples collected at the northern breach demonstrated soil characteristics consistent with more frequent flooding than those of the southernmost breach. Average total organic matter content for this area was 9.39 ± 1.77 %, compared to the southern breach average of 6.13 ± 0.53 %. This difference was attributed to variation in flooding patterns between the northern and southern sections of the forest.