Distribution and properties of soft weathered bedrock at ≤ 1 m depth in the contiguous United States

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)

WALD, J.A.

Civil Engineer Squadron/CEA, Air Force Base, Fairchild, Etats-Unis

GRAHAM, R.C.

Soil and Water Sciences Program, Dept. of Environmental Sciences, Univ. of California, Riverside, Etats-Unis

SCHOENEBERGER, P.J.

USDA/NRCS, National Soil Survey Center, Lincoln, Etats-Unis

Description :
The AA. used spatial and laboratory characterization data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Natural Resources Conservation Service to assess the distribution and soil-like properties of soft weathered bedrock (saprock and saprolite) within the 48 contiguous United States. Because USDA soil inventories generally do not extend below 2 m, and because the upper 1 m is clearly involved in ecosystem function and vadose zone hydrology, they restricted their inquiry to soft weathered bedrock within 1 m of the land surface. This soft weathered bedrock is widespread and hosts pedogenic activity. The physical and chemical properties of soft weathered bedrock are often similar to those of the overlying soil, suggesting that in many respects soft weathered bedrock behaves like soil. It supplies water and nutrients to plants whose roots penetrate into it and it modulates throughflow runoff to streams.

Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Earth surface processes and landforms, issn : 0197-9337, 2013, vol. 38, n°. 6, p. 614-626, nombre de pages : 13, Références bibliographiques : 2 p.

Date :
2013

Editeur :
Pays édition : Royaume-Uni, Chichester, Wiley

Langue :
Anglais