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Utah State University

Theses/Dissertations

1993

Capital Reef National Park

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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Influence Of Microphytic Crusts On Selected Soil Physical And Hydrologic Properties In The Hartnet Draw, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah., John Dana Williams May 1993

Influence Of Microphytic Crusts On Selected Soil Physical And Hydrologic Properties In The Hartnet Draw, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah., John Dana Williams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Microphytic crust influences on selected physical and hydrologic soil properties were examined at one location in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah. Designed experiments were conducted in a sandy loam soil where microphytic crusts were present without the concomitant development of confounding physical or chemical soil conditions. Three treatments were used for all experiments: control, chemically killed (microphytes killed but left in place), and scalped (microphytic crusts mechanically removed).

A portable wind tunnel was used to deter-nine if microphytic crusts contribute to soil stability and reduce the erosive effect of wind. Significantly lower threshold friction velocity and greater wind-entrained material were …