USDA Forest Service / Purdue University West Lafayette, Indiana
Body of Abstract: Land degradation is defined as a loss of life-supporting resources resulting from acidification, desertification, salinization, soil erosion, and many other problems. Therefore, many reasons may exist for poor tree quality. A lack of other options leads many farmers and plantation owners to plant on lands that would typically be deemed unsuitable for planting. In addition, while these lands look lush while still open fields, they may not be able to support growth of many native tree species. In addition to the potential for issues within the soil, the planting process itself may have; though it is not likely, contributed to the poor growth of specific trees within a plantation. Every year hundreds of thousands of trees are planted but, unexpectedly; many of them die within the first year. More information is needed on soil characteristics to help identify the causes of dead zones within a plantation. Here we have performed an in-depth study of soil traits and compared growth ten different Northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) families at three sites in Indiana. Our results indicate one of the greatest features leading to death is not the dearth in nutrients but in the water holding capacity of the soil. This work looks at GIS layers linked to various properties as a way to observe disparities in height and dbh within several research plantations.