Calhoun CZO Research Area 1
The largest of the research areas at the Calhoun, this includes three major subsections: (1) the Calhoun Long-Term Soil-Ecosystem Plots and Reference Areas, (2) the "tower site" (site of future flux tower and clearcut treatment), and (3) the "dove field", which to our knowledge has been continuously cultivated since at least the 1930s. Also included in Research Area 1 is a 70-m deep well in a cow pasture on private land adjacent to the long-term plots.
0.40 km2 Area
180 - 190 m Elev
16 °C Temp
1250 mm Precip
Parent Field Area:
Calhoun Critical Zone Observatory ▲
View through one of the 16 permanent plots at the Calhoun LTSE showing the loblolly pine overstory and hardwood understory. June 2004. Photo: Jason Jackson.
Lithology
unconsolidated materials, igneous-felsic intrusive, meta-igneous
Soil Order
Ultisol
Biome
coniferous forest, deciduous forest
Land Use
agricultural land, forest land
Areas within Calhoun CZO Research Area 1
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Setting & Research
The Calhoun Experimental Forest is located in Sumter National Forest near Union, SC. Annual precipitation averages 1272 mm and mean annual temperature averages 15.7 C. The site is characterized by gentle slopes (<3%) composed of Cataula series soil (fine, kaolinitic, thermic oxyaquic Kanhapludults).
The Calhoun LTSE in the Southern Carolina Piedmont, USA, was initiated in 1957 on old cotton fields by US Forest Service scientists. Vegetation and soil in the 16 0.1-ha plots have been resampled with nearly all samples archived on eight occasions (1962, 1968, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1990, 1997, 2005, 2010). The Calhoun study demonstrates like few others the dynamics of belowground ecological and geochemical processes and properties over a fifty year time scale. Results from the 16 permanent plots are supplemented by land-use history plots, also called reference areas with hardwoods, secondary pine, hay, and cultivated crops. The study also demonstrates how contemporary ecosystem dynamics are strongly controlled by historic land use impacts (the legacies of cotton cultivation between 1800 and 1955) and multi-millennial evolution of the natural ecosystem. In May 2007, half of the 16 permanent plots were clear-cut and are being regenerated with pine, all to better examine human impacts on decadal changes in soils and ecosystems. The Calhoun Experimental Forest has become a globally-significant experiment not only of management effects, but of natural recovery processes as well. Calhoun researchers invite collaborations with other scientists, land managers and users, teachers, writers, and students.
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Overview Maps
Research Area 1
Extent of R1 on USFS land outlined in blue. Green dots are vegetation plots. Blue dots are gas wells. Yellow star is the 70-m deep well. Blue asterisks are water sampling sites.
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Dynamic Map
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Data
Calhoun 70-m deep well - Groundwater Depth, Electrical Conductivity (2014-2017)
2 components • Calhoun CZO Research Area 1 • Hydrology • Mallard, John; McGlynn, BrianCalhoun 70-m deep well - Soil Mineralogy, Soil Geochemistry, Photographic Imagery (2019)
4 components • Calhoun CZO Research Area 1 • Geochemistry / Mineralogy, Soil Science / Pedology • Austin, Jason C.; Bacon, Allan R.; Richter, Daniel deB.; Schroeder, Paul A.Calhoun Critical Zone Observatory - Soil Moisture - Hydroprobe (2016-2018)
1 components • Calhoun CZO Research Area 1, Calhoun CZO Research Area 4, Calhoun CZO Research Area 7 • Hydrology, Biogeochemistry, Soil Science / Pedology • Austin, Jason C.; Brecheisen, Zachary S.; Cook, Charles W.; Heine, Paul R.; Richter, Daniel deB.Calhoun CZO - LiDAR - LiDAR Leaf-Off Survey (2016)
1 components • Calhoun CZO Research Area 1, Calhoun CZO Research Area 4, Calhoun Experimental Forest and Eco-hydrology Experiments, Calhoun Long-Term Soil-Ecosystem Plots and Reference Areas • GIS / Remote Sensing • National Center for Airborne Laser MappingCalhoun CZO - LiDAR - Hyperspectral and LiDAR Survey (2014)
1 components • Calhoun CZO Research Area 1, Calhoun CZO Research Area 4, Calhoun Experimental Forest and Eco-hydrology Experiments, Calhoun Long-Term Soil-Ecosystem Plots and Reference Areas • GIS / Remote Sensing • National Center for Airborne Laser MappingCalhoun CZO - Precipitation (2014-2017)
1 components • Calhoun CZO Research Area 1 • Climatology / Meteorology, Hydrology • Mallard, John M.Calhoun CZO - Soil Geochemistry (2016)
1 components • Calhoun CZO Research Area 1, Calhoun CZO Research Area 2, Calhoun CZO Research Area 6, Calhoun CZO Research Area 7, Calhoun CZO Research Area 8 • Geochemistry / Mineralogy • Austin, Jason C.; Schroeder, Paul A.Calhoun CZO - Vegetation - Litterfall (2014-2017)
1 components • Calhoun CZO Research Area 1, Calhoun CZO Research Area 2, Calhoun CZO Research Area 3, Calhoun CZO Research Area 4, Calhoun CZO Research Area 5 • Biology / Ecology • Cook, Charles W.; O'Neill, K. P.; Richter, Daniel deB.Calhoun CZO - Vegetation - Leaf Area Index (2014)
1 components • Calhoun CZO Research Area 1, Calhoun CZO Research Area 4, Calhoun Experimental Forest and Eco-hydrology Experiments • Biology / Ecology • Cook, Charles W.Calhoun CZO - Soil Porosity, Soil Invertebrates (2015-2017)
2 components • Calhoun CZO Research Area 1, Calhoun CZO Research Area 4, Calhoun CZO Research Area 7 • Soil Science / Pedology, Biology / Ecology • Brecheisen, Zachary S..; Callaham, M.A.; Heine, P.R.; Cook, Charles W.; Richter, Daniel deB.Calhoun CZO - Photographic Imagery, Soil Survey - Soil Pit Profiles (2016)
4 components • Calhoun CZO Research Area 1, Calhoun CZO Research Area 2, Calhoun CZO Research Area 7, Calhoun CZO Research Area 8 • Soil Science / Pedology • Cook, Charles W.Calhoun CZO - Soil Texture (2015-2016)
1 components • Calhoun CZO Research Area 1, Calhoun CZO Research Area 4, Calhoun CZO Research Area 7 • Soil Science / Pedology • Heine, Paul RCalhoun CZO - Soil Biogeochemistry (2015-2016)
1 components • Calhoun CZO Research Area 1, Calhoun CZO Research Area 2, Calhoun CZO Research Area 7, Calhoun CZO Research Area 8 • Biogeochemistry, Biology / Ecology, Soil Science / Pedology • Sharon Billings; Christoph Lehmeier; Kyungjin Min; Samik Bagchi; Emma Hauser; Keelan Barger; Samantha Elledge; Rebecca Flournoy; Carl Heroneme; Hanna Rankin; Rena StairCalhoun CZO Research Area 1 - Flux Tower - Young Pine Forest (2016-2017)
4 components • Calhoun Long-Term Soil-Ecosystem Plots and Reference Areas, Calhoun CZO Research Area 1 • Climatology / Meteorology • Yao Tang; Jingfeng WangNational - Soil Gas - CO2 and O2 (2014-2017)
2 components • Bigelow Site (High-Elevation), Jemez 2013 Burned ZOB, Jemez Unburned Site, Calhoun CZO Research Area 1, Garner Run - Sandstone Forested, Northeastern Puerto Rico and the Luquillo Mountains • Biogeochemistry, Climatology / Meteorology, Soil Science / Pedology, Biology / Ecology • Brecheisen, Zachary; Chorover, Jon; Kaye, Jason; Silver, Whendee; Abramson, Nate; Barron-Gafford, Greg; Condon, Katherine E.; Cook, Charles W.; Hill, Lillian; Losleben, Mark; Minor, Rebecca; O'Connell, Christine; Richter, Daniel deB.; Durcik, MatejR1 - Soil Biogeochemistry - Carbon isotopes (2016)
1 components • Calhoun CZO Research Area 1 • Soil Science / Pedology, Biogeochemistry • Cherkinsky, AlexanderResearch area 1 - Soil Gas, Soil Moisture, Soil Temperature (2016-2019)
1 components • Calhoun CZO Research Area 1 • Biogeochemistry, Soil Science / Pedology, Hydrology • Brecheisen, Z. S.; Cook, Charles W.; Richter, Daniel deB.Research areas 1, 4, 7 - Soil Gas (2015-2017)
2 components • Calhoun CZO Research Area 1, Calhoun CZO Research Area 4, Calhoun CZO Research Area 7 • Biogeochemistry, Soil Science / Pedology • Brecheisen, Z. S.; Cook, Charles W.; Richter, Daniel deB. -
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