Turkey Lakes Watershed Study reference list: 2011

11-01 Creed, I.F., G.Z. Sass, J.M. Buttle and J.A. Jones. Hydrological principles for sustainable management of forest ecosystems. Hydrological Processes 25 (13), 2152-2160, doi: 10.1002/hyp.8056, 2011.

Summary: This commentary originates from a Canadian project seeking to synthesize the state of knowledge on the implications of forest management activities on water resources under a changing global climate. This synthesis included previous reviews of science based on decades of watershed studies, policy, planning and operational practices, as well as interviews and workshops with scientists and managers. Work at the TLW contributed to the synthesis of the principles, guidelines and framework outlined in the paper. These principles are embedded within a systems approach to guide forest management on its way to a desired future with safe and secure water supplies.

11-02 Hazlett, P.W., J.M. Curry and T.P. Weldon. Assessing decadal change in mineral soil cation chemistry at the Turkey Lakes Watershed. Soil Science Society of America Journal 75 (1), 287-305. doi:10.2136/sssaj2010.0090, 2011.

Summary: Previous studies have provided evidence for the depletion of base cations in soil across decadal time scales, attributed to leaching due to elevated S and N levels. Soil horizons from 7 plots in the tolerant hardwood forest at the TLW were analyzed for their chemical properties in 1986, 2003 and 2005. There were no statistically significant declines in pH or in exchangeable Ca, Mg or K concentrations; however Na concentrations decreased in deeper soil horizons. These results suggest that mineral weathering inputs provide stability to the exchangeable base cation pool despite large leaching loss at the TLW.

11-03 Webster, K.L., I.F. Creed, F.D. Beall and R.A. Bourbonnière. A topographic template for estimating soil carbon pools in forested catchments. Geoderma 160 (3-4), 457-467, doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2010.10.016, 2011.

Summary:  Small and rare topographic features can have disproportionate effects on soil carbon pools/fluxes, as such, the description and quantification of heterogeneity in forest soil carbon pools is essential for the accuracy of landscape estimates. An automated method to classify topographic features was used to create a template for the collection of samples from different topographical features in a small catchment within the TLW. Significant heterogeneity was found among the classified topographic features in their soil carbon pools, but not in their canopy foliage. This heterogeneity reflects the importance of physical processes in shaping the distribution of soil carbon pools. The creation and application of topographic template was useful for detecting, strategically sampling, mapping and scaling heterogeneity in forest soil carbon pools.

11-04 Creed, I. F., G.Z. Sass, F.D. Beall, J.M. Buttle, R.D. Moore and M. Donnelly. Hydrological principles for water conservation within a changing forest landscape. A State of Knowledge report. Sustainable Forest Management Network, Edmonton, Alberta. Sustainable Forest Management Network, Edmonton, Alberta. 80 pp. 2011.

Summary: This report presents a set of hydrological principles that can be used to inform forest policies and practices and be translated into actions for sustainable forest management in Canada. These principles were developed as part of a backcasting-from-principles approach to planning that envisions a desired future constrained set of principles, and then considers the policy and practical steps necessary to arrive there. Many of the concepts underlying the hydrological principles are currently represented in some provinces and territories and TLW research has contributed to their development. The principles outlined should serve as the first step in opening further dialogue between forest hydrologists, managers and policy makers.

11-05 Creed, I. F., G.Z. Sass, F.D. Beall, J.M. Buttle, R.D. Moore and M. Donnelly. Scientific theory, data and techniques for conservation of water resources within a changing forested landscape. A State of Knowledge report. Sustainable Forest Management Network, Edmonton, Alberta. Sustainable Forest Management Network, Edmonton, Alberta. 136 pp. 2011.

Summary:  The objective of this report was to review the state of science resources (including data and tools) behind the sustainable management of forests from the perspective of conserving water resources and minimizing adverse effects resulting from forest management activities. The report provides a current synthesis of field studies and available datasets, as well as the scientific achievements and challenges facing the application of digital tools including digital terrain analysis, remote sensing and hydrological modelling. The report gives recommendations with respect to future research and monitoring endeavours, analysis of integrated datasets and training of the next generation of forest hydrologists and forest managers to promote the practice of sustainable forest management. With many contributions to the body of literature, the TLW is an important component of the work summarized in this report.