Effect of surface humus on water infiltration and redistribution in beech forest stands with different density

Abstract

Abstract The aim of the paper is to demonstrate how the beech surface humus form and forest density affect the infiltration and redistribution of rainwater into the soil matrix. Beech as the most-abundant tree species in Slovakia has a tendency to form a compact humus layer with specific structure, leading to a reduction in the soil surface infiltration area and a significant influence on the preferential flow generation. The research was carried out in beech forests with different forest stand density in the Vtáčnik Mountain (Central Slovakia). The maximal infiltration surface area 35.11 ± 6.58% of sand surface infiltration area was reached at the plot A (0.8). The minimal infiltration surface area was reached at the plot B (0.8) and was 19.45 ± 2.52%. Statistical tests confirmed a significant effect of the forest stand density on the surface infiltration area (p = 0.05) and number of infiltration inputs (p = 0.05). The results show a statistically significant influence of surface humus form and stand density on infiltration and redistribution of rainwater into the soil matrix. The influence results in water flow changes from matrix flow to preferential flow and fingering. As a consequence deeper infiltration of water and solutions, e. g. dissolved organic carbon, to deeper soil layers is observed.