Putting Forest Health Monitoring
in its Place –
The Vermont Long-term Soil
Monitoring Project
Vermont Long-Term Soil Monitoring Project
A cooperative long-term soil monitoring project
established with the goal of detecting changes in
soils due to human-caused impacts at two forested
sites in Vermont.
Major partners Vermont Monitoring Cooperative (VMC)
•Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
•University of Vermont
•USDA Forest Service Green Mountain
National Forest
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Vermont Long-Term Soil Monitoring Project
Monitoring strategy - measure changes in soil properties in
forest locations where ecological processes are in a “steady
state” by sampling at various time intervals over project life.
Planned lifespan of project - 200 years (2002-2202). Sampling
years: 0, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 150, 200 – 8 times (2 more times in
reserve).
Five long-term 50x50 meter soil monitoring plots were
established in 2000. Initial background soil characterization
was done through the NRCS National Soil Survey Lab in
“Year Zero minus 2” (2000). Each plot has 100 5x5 m.
subplots for sampling.
Soil climate analysis (SCAN) equipment was also installed at
the two major locations in September 2000.
Vermont Long-Term Soil Monitoring Project
Current Long-term Soil Monitoring Team members:
Scott Bailey, USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station
Nancy Burt, USDA Forest Service, GMNF
Sean Lawson, State of Vermont, VMC
Eric Miller, Ecosystems Research Group
Don Ross, University of Vermont
Jamie Shanley, US Geological Survey
Thom Villars, USDA-NRCS (chair)
Sandy Wilmot (Honorary advisory member)
2002 Sampling (Year Zero)
3600 feet
Organic and mineral horizons from 10
randomly selected soil pits were
sampled within each 50x50m plot.
Vermont Long Term Soil Monitoring Plots - 2002 Sampling - Soil Profile Charts
Mount Mansfield - Forehead site
Depth in Centimeters
Cm.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
Plot 5
Plot 20
Plot 26
Plot 33
Oe
Oi
Plot 40
Plot 45
Plot 48
Oi
Oe
Plot 62
Oi
Oe
Oe
Plot 77
Oi
Oe
A
Oa
Oa
Plot 84
Oi
Oe
Oa
Oe
Oe
Oe
Oa
Oa
Oa
Oa
Oa
E
Oa
R
Oa
E
E
E
E
E
E
R
E
Bhs
E
R
R
R
R
R
R
E
Bhs
206 soil horizons sampled from
50 soil pits.
R
Bw
R
Vermont Long Term Soil Monitoring Plots - 2002 Sampling - Soil Profile Charts
Lye Brook - Road site
2300 – 2400 feet
Depth in Centimeters
Cm.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
Plot 12
Plot 14
Plot 21
Oi
OI
Plot 43
Oi
Plot 44
Plot 60
Oi
Oi
Oe
Plot 78
Plot 80
OI
Oi
Plot 85
Oi
Oe
Oi
Oe
Oe
Oe
A
Oi
Oe
A
A
Oe
Plot 99
Oe
Oe
A
Oa
Oa
Oe
Bhs
Oa
E
E
E
Oa
E
Bhs1
Oa
E
Bhs
Bhs
Bhs1
E
Bhs2
E
Bhs1
Bhs
Bhs1
Oa
Bs
Bhs
Bhs2
Bw1
Bhs2
Bhs2
Bs
Bs
Bw
Bw
E
Bw
Bs
Bw2
Bs
Bs
Bw
Bw1
BC
BC
BC
Bw2
Bw3
BC
BC
Vermont Long Term Soil Monitoring Plots - 2002 Sampling - Soil Profile Charts
Lye Brook - Trail site
Depth in Centimeters
Cm.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
Plot 4
Plot 12
Plot 21
Oi
Oi
Plot 26
Oi
Plot 27
Plot 32
Oi
Plot 56
Oi
Plot 84
Oi
Plot 93
Plot 98
Oi
Oi
Oi
Oi
Oe
Oe
Oe
Oe
Oe
Oa
Oa
Oa
E
Oa
Oa
Oa
Oa
Oa
E
E
E
Bhs
Bhs
E
E
Bhs
E
Bhs1
Bs
E
Bs1
Bhs1
Bhs1
E
E
Bs
Bhs
Bhs2
Bhs2
Bhs
Bhs
Bhs2
Bs2
Bw
Bhs1
Bw
Bw
BC
Bw
Bw
Bs
Bhs2
BC
BC
BC
BC
BC
BC
BC
Vermont Long Term Soil Monitoring Plots - 2002 Sampling - Soil Profile Charts
Mount Mansfield - Polka Dot site
Depth in Centimeters
Cm.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
Plot 9
Oi
Plot 21
Oi
Plot 31
Oi
Oe
Plot 39
Oi
Plot 57
Oi
Plot 62
Oi
Plot 69
Oi
Oe
Oe
Plot 82
Oi
Oe
Plot 90
Plot 94
Oi
1800 feet
Oi
Oe
A
Oe
Oe
A
Oa
Oe
Oa
Oe
Oa
A
Bs
Depth in Centimeters
Oe
E
A
A
Bhs
Bs
A
Bw1
Bw
Bw
Bw
Oa
Bw
Bw1
Bw
Bw2
Bw
Bs
Bw1
Bw2
Cd
BC
BC
BC
Cd
BC
BC
Bw2
BC
Cd
Vermont Long Term Soil Monitoring Plots - 2002 Sampling - Soil Profile Charts
Mount Mansfield - Ranch Brook site
A
E
E
Cd
Cd
BC
Cd
Cd
Cd
Bw2 >59
BC >50
Cm.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
Plot 4
Oi
Plot 13
Oi
Plot 20
Oi
Plot 31
Oi
Plot 33
Oi
Plot 35
Oi
Oe
Oe
Plot 65
Oi
Oe
Oa
Oa
A
Oa
A
A
A
Plot 66
Oi
Oe
Plot 75
A
Oi
Oa
Oa
A
Bw1
A
A
Plot 100
Oi
Oa
Bw1
A
Bw1
A
Bw1
Bw1
Bw2
Bs
Bhs
Bw2
Bw1
Bw2
Bw1
Bw1
Bw
Bw1
Bw2
Bw2
Bw2
Bw2
Bw2
Bw3
Bw2
BC
Bw3
Where did the 206 samples go?
Subsamples of each horizon were sent to 3 labs:
 NRCS National Soil Survey Lab - completed
 University of Vermont Soil Lab - in progress
 Forest Service Research Lab - in progress
Plus another subsample of each horizon was:
 Archived at Hubbard Brook (for now)
Also, separate samples were collected for mercury analysis
that was performed free of charge by State of VT,
courtesy of N. Kamman.
2002 Sampling: Mt. Mansfield – Forehead Site
3600 feet elevation
Montane Spruce – Fir Forest natural community
2002 Sampling: Mt. Mansfield – Forehead Site
Soils underlain by bedrock. There are 4 soil Orders here!
Vermont Long Term Soil Monitoring Plots - 2002 Sampling - Soil Profile Charts
Mount Mansfield - Forehead site
Depth in Centimeters
Cm.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
Plot 5
Plot 20
Plot 26
Oe
Oi
Plot 33
Plot 40
Plot 45
Oi
Oe
Plot 48
Oe
Oe
Oe
Plot 62
Oi
Oe
Oa
Oe
Oe
Plot 84
Oi
Oe
Oa
A
Oa
Oa
Plot 77
Oi
Oa
Oa
Oa
Oa
Oa
E
R
Oa
E
E
E
E
E
E
R
E
Bhs
E
R
R
R
R
R
R
Bhs
E
R
Bw
R
2002 Sampling: Lye Brook – Road site
Approx 2300 feet elevation
Northern Hardwood Forest natural community
2002 Sampling: Lye Brook – Road site
Soils are Spodosols (except one) underlain by dense till.
Vermont Long Term Soil Monitoring Plots - 2002 Sampling - Soil Profile Charts
Lye Brook - Road site
Depth in Centimeters
Cm.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
Plot 12
OI
Plot 14
Oi
Plot 21
Oi
Plot 43
Oi
Oe
Plot 44
Oi
Plot 60
Oi
Plot 78
OI
Oe
Plot 80
Oi
Oe
Oe
Oe
Plot 85
Oi
A
Oe
A
Oi
Oe
Oe
A
Oe
Plot 99
A
Oa
Oe
Oa
Bhs
E
Oa
E
E
Oa
Oa
E
Bhs1
E
Bhs
Bhs1
Bhs
E
E
Bhs1
Bhs2
Bhs
Bhs1
Oa
Bs
Bhs
Bw1
Bhs2
Bhs2
Bhs2
Bs
Bs
Bw
Bw
E
Bw
Bs
Bw2
Bs
Bs
Bw
Bw1
BC
BC
BC
Bw2
Bw3
BC
BC
2002 Sampling: Lye Brook – Trail site
Approx 2400 feet elevation
Northern Hardwood Forest
natural community
2002 Sampling: Lye Brook – Trail site
All soils are Spodosols underlain by dense till.
Vermont Long Term Soil Monitoring Plots - 2002 Sampling - Soil Profile Charts
Lye Brook - Trail site
Depth in Centimeters
Cm.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
Plot 4
Oi
Plot 12
Oi
Plot 21
Oi
Plot 26
Plot 27
Oi
Plot 32
Oi
Plot 56
Oi
Plot 84
Plot 93
Oi
Oi
Oi
Plot 98
Oi
Oe
Oe
Oe
Oe
Oe
Oa
Oa
Oa
Oa
E
Oa
Oa
Oa
Oa
E
E
E
Bhs
Bhs
E
E
Bhs
E
Bhs1
Bs
E
Bs1
Bhs1
E
Bhs1
E
Bs
Bhs
Bhs2
Bhs2
Bhs
Bhs
Bhs2
Bs2
Bw
Bhs1
Bw
Bw
BC
Bw
Bw
Bs
Bhs2
BC
BC
BC
BC
BC
BC
BC
2002 Sampling: Mt. Mansfield – Polka Dot site
Approx. 2400 feet elevation
Yellow Birch Northern Hardwood Forest natural community
All excavated soil material was
laid on plastic to avoid
contamination of larger area.
2002 Sampling: Mt. Mansfield – Polka Dot site
Soils are mix of Spodosols and Inceptisols underlain by dense till.
Vermont Long Term Soil Monitoring Plots - 2002 Sampling - Soil Profile Charts
Mount Mansfield - Polka Dot site
Depth in Centimeters
Cm.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
Plot 9
Oi
Plot 21
Oi
Plot 31
Oi
Oe
Plot 39
Oi
Plot 57
Oi
Plot 62
Oi
Plot 69
Oi
Oe
Oe
Plot 82
Oi
Oe
Plot 90
Plot 94
Oi
Oi
Oe
A
Oe
Oe
A
Oa
Oe
Oa
A
E
E
Oe
Oa
A
Bs
Oe
E
A
A
Bhs
Bs
A
Bw1
Bw
Bw
Bw
Oa
Bw
Bw1
Bw
Bw2
Bw
Bs
Bw1
Bw2
Cd
BC
BC
BC
Cd
BC
BC
Bw2
BC
Cd
Cd
Cd
BC
Cd
Cd
Cd
Bw2 >59
BC >50
2002 Sampling: Mt. Mansfield – Ranch Brook site
Approx 1800 feet elevation
Northern
Hardwood
Forest
natural
community,
with some
signs of
enrichment
2002 Sampling: Mt. Mansfield – Ranch Brook site
Soils are primarily Inceptisols, with two Spodosols.
Vermont Long Term Soil Monitoring Plots - 2002 Sampling - Soil Profile Charts
Mount Mansfield - Ranch Brook site
Depth in Centimeters
Cm.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
Plot 4
Oi
Plot 13
Oi
Plot 20
Oi
Plot 31
Oi
Plot 33
Oi
Plot 35
Oi
Oe
Oe
Oi
Oe
Oa
Oa
Plot 65
A
Oe
Plot 75
A
A
Oi
Oa
A
Oa
A
Bw1
A
A
Plot 100
Oi
Oa
Oa
A
Plot 66
Oi
Bw1
A
Bw1
A
Bw1
Bw1
Bw2
Bs
Bhs
Bw2
Bw1
Bw2
Bw1
Bw1
Bw
Bw1
Bw2
Bw2
Bw2
Bw2
Bw2
Bw3
Bw2
BC
Bw3
Cation Exchange Capacity (by sum of cations) for
All Horizons, NSSL
Cation Exchange Capacity (sum of base cations) for All Horizons
25
CEC, sum of base cations
20
Oa-RanchBrook
15
Oa-LyeTrail
10
Oa-PolkaDot
A
5
Oa-Forehead
Bhs
Bw1
Bw2 BC
0
Oa-LyeRoad
A
A
Oa/E
E
E Bhs
Bhs
Bs
Horizon and1 Site
A
E
Bs Bw BC
Bhs Bs
E Bhs
O
aLR
ALR
EBh LR
sLR
Bs
-L
Bw R
-L
R
Mean Total Carbon, %
Lye-Trail
aFH
AFH
Bs p E-F
od H
ic
-F
H
Horizon and Site
O
aP
D
APD
EBh PD
sPD
Bs
-P
Bw D
-P
D
BC
-P
D
O
O
a
O -L T
a/
ELT
EBh LT
sLT
Bs
-L
BC T
-L
T
aR
B
AR
Bh B
sBw RB
1Bw RB
2R
B
BC
-R
B
O
Carbon Sequestration in Soils – Mean Total % Carbon in
All Horizons, NSSL
Mean Total % Carbon by Horizon
50
45
40
35
Forehead
30
Ranch Brook
25
Polka Dot
20
Lye-Road
15
10
5
0
Mercury concentration in surface horizons,
based on elevation
O-horizon Hg concentration vs. elevation
1200
Elevation, meters
Forehead
1000
Lye Road
800
Mansfield
Polka
600
Ranch Brook
400
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
Hg concentration, mg kg-1
Mercury concentration in surficial soils shows a strong positive relation with elevation.
This elevational dependence may be related to increased deposition of Hg at higher elevations. Error
bars show +/- 1 standard deviation, based on 10 samples at each site (except 20 at Lye Road). At
Mansfield Polka, A horizon values are plotted as there was little O horizon present (-?).
(J. Shanley)
Mercury concentration in soil horizons
Mercury concentration by soil horizon
Soil Hg concentration, mg kg-1
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
n=41
n=9
0
O
A
Horizon
n=10
B
Mercury retention is greatest in the soil O horizon.
Based on samples from 4 sites, Hg concentration in the O horizon was more than 3 times
greater than in the B horizon. (Lye Trail was not sampled.) (J. Shanley)
Vermont Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN)
Sites – supporting the long-term study
Mount Mansfield State Forest,
near Polka Dot site
Edge of Lye Brook Wilderness,
GMNF, near Lye – Road site
Location of Soil Climate Analysis Network sites
in the US
The VT SCAN sites were installed in 2000
nearby 2 long-term soil monitoring plots
Lye Brook site under construction,
Green Mountain National Forest,
September, 2000
What is measured at a SCAN site?
Hourly readings of:
 Air temperature (max, min, average)
 Precipitation
 Wind speed and direction (average and maximum)
 Solar radiation
 Relative humidity
 Barometric pressure
 Snow depth and weight (used for calculating water content)
 Soil temperature and moisture (and other data) at 5 depths: 2, 4,
8, 20 and 40 inches
 Updated hourly on the Web at:
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/scan
Vermont Soil Climate Analysis Network 2001-2005
5 yr. Average Monthly Precipitation and Soil Moisture, MM
Mount Mansfield, VT
Average Monthly Precipitation and Soil Moisture - 2001-2005
Preliminary Data - Subject to Change
10.00
45.0
9.00
40.0
7.00
30.0
6.00
25.0
5.00
20.0
4.00
15.0
3.00
Summer Drawdown
of soil moisture –
even with high rainfall
(pink line)
2.00
10.0
2 inches
4 inches
8 inches
20 inches
40 inches
us
t
be
r
Se
pt
em
Month
Au
g
ly
Ju
Ju
ne
M
ay
Ap
ril
ar
ch
M
Ja
D
ec
e
N
ov
ct
ob
em
be
r
Precipitation
Fe
br
ua
ry
0.0
nu
ar
y
0.00
m
be
r
5.0
er
1.00
Percent Soil Moisture by Volume
35.0
Spring
Moisture
Peak
O
Average Precipitation, Inches
8.00
Vermont Soil Climate Analysis Network 2001-2005
5 yr. Average Monthly Air and Soil Temperature, MM
Mount Mansfield, VT
Average Monthly Air and Soil Temperature - 2001 - 2005
Preliminary Data - Subject to Change
20.0
Fall
Turnover
10.0
Spring
Moisture
Peak
5.0
Spring
Turnover
0.0
Winter
“hibernation”
-5.0
Summer Drawdown –
even with high rainfall
-10.0
Air
2 inches
4 inches
8 inches
20 inches
40 inches
r
te
m
be
Se
p
us
t
ly
Au
g
Month
Ju
ne
Ju
ay
M
Ap
ril
ar
ch
M
ry
Fe
br
ua
ry
Ja
nu
a
r
em
be
D
ec
r
em
be
N
ov
ct
ob
er
-15.0
O
Average Temperature, Celsius
15.0
Vermont Soil Climate Analysis Network
Hurricane Katrina –
Its effect on hourly precipitation and soil moisture at Mt. Mansfield
The Effect of Hurricane Katrina on Hourly Precipitation and Soil Moisture
Mt Mansfield, Vermont SCAN station
August 30 - September 1, 2005
0.8
45
Precipitation
2 inches
40
0.7
4 inches
8 inches
35
20 inches
0.6
30
0.5
25
0.4
0.3
40 inch depth –
storm, what storm?
20
15
0.2
10
0.1
5
0
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44
Time in hours: Aug 30, noon-midnight = 1-12; Aug 31 = 13-32 (4 hrs no record); Sept 1, 12am-noon = 33-44
Soil Moisture - % volume
Precipitation - tenths/inch per hour
40 inches
What’s next for the Long-term Soil Monitoring
Project??
•Complete 2002 Year Zero lab characterization
•Plan, fund, and carry out Year 5 sampling in
summer 2007
•Begin Year 5 sample processing, archiving and
characterization
•Develop and publish initial report
Finally, what are some of the challenges facing
the project:
•Separating natural soil variation from actual long-term
changes
•Standardizing soil description protocols
•Developing a permanent Archive Plan
•Funding for lab work and unsupported personnel costs
•Completing data analysis and publication
•Time demands of project outside scope of “normal job”
for some committee members
•200 years??? - Institutionalizing the program into
agencies and passing on the project to a new generation
of scientists