The relationship between percent slope and percent sand in soil to longleaf pine abundance.

1. The relationship between percent slope and percent sand in soil to longleaf pine abundance. BlakePerry

2. Longleaf pines • Pinus palustris • Mountainous communities of longleaf pine are often called montane longleaf pine communities. • At one time, these communities covered over 90 million acres of the South, which has declined since settlement in the 1830s. • “Montane longleaf is adapted to dense, rocky soils; steep exposed slopes; eastern, southern and western aspects; and high elevations (up to 1,900 feet above sea level).” (Stowe 2002)

3. Longleaf pines • The montane longleaf pine communities covered over 87% of Coosa County Alabama. • Once measured to be over 110 feet tall, 40 inches around, and more than 300 years old. • These forests are the most endangered in the United States, possibly in the world. • The two largest, intact communities happen to be close to home, at Fort McClellan and the Talladega National Forest. (Reed 1905)

4. A study of the pine mountains of Georgia’s Upson County • R.E. Carter, N.J. Myers, V.B. Helburne, and S.M. Jones • 2000 • Established a strong correlation between “vegetation, soils, and landform features” and an abundance of longleaf pines within a community. • Data shows that more communities that include longleaf pine trees and have steeper slopes, have more sand in the soil. On the contrary, communities with shallower slopes have less sand in the soil.

5. Determining a relationship between percent slope and percent sand in soil to longleaf pine abundance. OBJECTIVES: • To choose 20 testing plots of well established longleaf pines. • To establish a relationship between the percent of sand in the soil and the abundance of longleaf pines. • To establish a relationship between percent slope and the abundance of longleaf pines. • To establish a significant correlation between both percent slope and the amount of sand in the soil to the abundance of longleaf pines.

6. Determining the relationship • This project will only cost about $100 for travel to the National Forest. • The Talladega National Forest will be the designated study site because of its well established community of longleaf pines. • Twenty plots will be determined based on their abundance of longleaf pine. Each plot will measure approx. 20 meters by 50 meters. • Each plot’s abundance of longleaf pines will be determined by archival aerial photos (shown here), previous studies of the forest, and by interviews with rangers who know the forest.

7. Determining the relationship • After plots are selected, the percent slope of each plot will then be calculated. • Percent slope can easily be calculated by pointing a clinometer (shown here) at the horizon line.

8. 15 m 2 m 100 m 20 m 2 meters = 0.02 = 2% 5 m 100 meters = .75 = 75% 20 m Percent Slope • Percent Slope is defined as the change in surface value (or height) over distance. Here the distance is 100 meters and the rise is 2 meters. Here the distance is 20 m and the rise is 15 m.

9. Soil sampling and analysis • Soil samples will then be taken using a soil auger. Usually with a barrel tube (as shown here). • Those samples will then be analyzed using the hydrometer method (shown here).

10. There are basically three steps of the hydrometer method. Step one is to disperse the particles of the soil physically and chemically. Step two is to allow all of the particles to completely settle. Naturally the larger particles will be settle lower than the smaller ones. Step three is to measure with the hydrometer at intervals to determine each particle’s size. Then to determine what each particle is based on it’s size. In this study the percent of sand particles relative to the amount of soil will be important The Hydrometer Method of analyzing soil samples. (Buchanan)

11. Analyzing the results • When the results are gathered from both the percent slope experiment, using the clinometer and the hydrometer method they will be analyzed using regression statistics.

12. Regression Statistics Defined as “the relationship between the mean value of a random variable and the corresponding values of one or more independent variables.” The equation used in this project would be: y=b1x1+b2x2+c y - the dependent variable (abundance) the b’s - the regression coefficients the x’s - the independent variables (percent slope and percent sand) c - the constant where the regression line crosses the y-axis Analyzing the results (Multiple Regression 1998). (Regression 2003)

13. Significance • The significance of this project is simple. To learn the conditions of the land where longleaf pines are at their max potential. • Knowledge from this project can be used to discover or start a thriving population of red-cockaded woodpeckers. It could also be helpful in restoring longleaf pine forests throughout the Appalachian Mountains and maybe even into the Florida peninsula.

14. Buchanan B. , S. Khresat , W. Lindemann, M. Pelletier- Hunyadi , P. Purves , P. Shelton , J. Vinson , B. Williams , T. Jones, B. McCaslin. 1993. Department of Agronomy and Horticulture at New Mexico State University. Introduction to Soils- A Laboratory Manual. 7th edition. Ch. 4 Soil Texture: 20-33. • Carter, R.E., Myers, N.J., Helburne, V.B., Jones, S.M. 2000. Ecological Land Classification In the High Rainfall Belt of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Castanea. 65: 258-272 • “Multiple Regression.” 1998 Statistical Analyses Explained.http://www.statisticssolutions.com/Multiple_Reg ression.htm • Reed, F.W. 1905. Game Management. Charles Scribner’s Sons. • “Regression.” 2003 www.thefreedictionary.com • Stowe, Johnny P. Jr., J. Morgan Varner, III, and John P. McGuire. 2002 Montane Longleaf Pinelands… Little-known and Disappearing Treasures. Tipularia 17. 8-13

15. Thank You!