CENTRE ON THE PROBLEMS OF ECOLOGY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF FORESTS
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CENTRE ON THE PROBLEMS OF ECOLOGY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF FORESTS |
RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES |
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M. G. Romanovsky, A. G. Molchanov Water Regime of Upland Oak Forests in the Southern Russian Forest-Steppe // Forest Science (Lesovedenie). 2012. No 5. С.12-21. In the southern forest-steppe, upland oak forests on the automorphic loamy dark gray soils usually endure droughts in the second half of the vegetative season due to the use of moisture reserves of deep substrate layers and groundwater. Two shallow sandy horizons interlaying moraine loams of the Dnieper glaciation at altitudes of 120 and 143 m a.s.l. serve as collectors and transporters of groundwater, the table of which is by 10-15 m below than the surface of the watershed plateaus and terraces. By autumn, trees desiccate subsoil horizons till the capillary fringe. In early spring, the moisture of dried horizons is restored. The groundwater reserves permit the upland oak forests to preserve the high leaf water potential ψPD ≥ -0.8 MPa despite the potential drops to ψS ≈ -2.4 MPa in the 0-2-m soil layer. Forest-steppe, upland oak stands, water reserves, droughr, water consumption, level of ground waters, water potential of loamy soils and oak leaves.. |
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