Hydrological properties of duff

Abstract

Laboratory experiments were conducted to measure and compare the porosities, desorption characteristic curves, and saturated hydraulic conductivities of the decomposing organic layer of forest floors (duff). Samples were from six different canopy types, from both between and beside trees and from the upper and lower portions of the duff layer. Comparisons were made between the samples on the basis of three categories: canopy type, location, and layer. The hydrological properties were found to exhibit greater variation vertically within the duff layer than between canopy type and location. Copyright 2009 by the American Geophysical Union.