The Influence of Tree and Stand Age on Soil water movement in Theobroma cacao plantations

• DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-10216
• Publication Date: 2020-03-09T21:42:26Z
• Authors: Kegan Farrick; Darnell Gittens
• Keywords: Theobroma; Infiltration (HVAC); Soil horizon; Dry season

<p>In many parts of the tropics, increased demand for cocoa and its products has led to development new plantations. The soil properties in these young plantations may differ from older or natural forests, which affect water flow. As trees are very shallow rooted, growth survival can be prone changes hydrology. We monitored properties, repellency hydraulic conductivity a 5, 12 >30 year old plantation. During dominant wet period, was absent all stands while showed no significant differences among them. This suggests that movement not impacted by stand age. However, during dry season, drop penetration times at 5 (4.1 hours) (4.4 were twice as long plantation (2.1 hours). extreme younger expected reduce infiltration rates; however, higher rates recorded stands. suggest due combination highly repellent matrix presence large, deep cracks enhanced preferential With degree being correlated with we hypothesised high grass/sedge cover temperatures it. While further research is needed investigate roll grass sedges play developing conditions affecting flow, managing their prove beneficial trees.</p>