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Riparian Studies
Riparian zones from critical linkages between forest and stream ecosystems are
dominated by Rhododendron maximum in the southern Appalachians. Current
analyses of aerial photographs have shown that rhododendron coverage has
increased over the past 20 years. We hypothesize that extensive near-stream
thickens of rhododendron exert control on hill-slope export of carbon and
nutrients to streams. We are in third year of a pretreatment phase of a
vegetation manipulation experiment which will determine the effect of removal
of the streamside rhododendron on the export of hill-slope nutrients (K, Na,
Ca, Mg, N, P, S) and organic matter. Experimental hill-slope transects that
follow topographical flowpaths from a local highpoint to the stream in WS55
(Figure 1) have been instrumented with lysimeters at two depths. We are
currently developing a model of hill-slope water movement that will be linked
with the lysimeter data to determine nutrient and organic matter flux throughout
the riparian zone.
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