Fitting of empirical models of infiltration in an Umbrisol under different silvicultural treatments

Abstract

The objective of this research was to model the infiltration process based on results obtained from measurements in situ in different silvicultural stands on an Umbrisol soil in La Ciudad a communal area in Pueblo Nuevo, Durango. Infiltration rate was measured by using the double ring infiltrometer method, for a time of 270 minutes with variable recharges. Post-harvest regeneration silvicultural stands (Clear cutting, Seed-trees and Selection) were analyzed by comparing them with a regenerated area (post-fire) and a reference stand (control). Three empirical models were adapted to 15 infiltration tests that were: Kostiakov, Horton and Lewis-Kostiakov models. The results show an average decrease of 45 % in the initial infiltration (Fi), with respect to the Reference stand, the basic infiltration (Fb) slight increases in Seed-trees and Selection Trees while Clear cutting and Post-fire reductions of 28 and 23 %, respectively. In relation to cumulative infiltration (Fa), only Seed-trees showed 4.7 % above Reference stand. The Analysis of Variance showed significant differences for Fi, while the Kruskal Wallis test showed it for Fb and Fa. The results of the model fit, based on the coefficient of determination (R²), show that Lewis-Kostiakov is the model that best estimates the infiltration for the Selection and Reference stands, whose nature is not as affected as the stands of Seed-trees, Clear cutting and Post-fire, which are best described by the Kostiakov type model.