Soaproot Saddle | Critical Zone Exploration Network

Group:

Location

37° 2' 0.132" N, 119° 15' 43.884" W

Brief Site Description:

The Soaproot Saddle site is located within Ponderosa Pine forest at 1100 meters in elevation within the Sierra National Forest.

Detailed Site Description:

CZO

In association with the Southern Sierra CZO, the Saproot Saddle site is part of an elevational transect that increases in altitude from west to east: San Joaquin Experimental Range (400 m), Soaproot Saddle (1100 m), Providence Creek Headwater Catchments (P301, 2000 m), and Short Hair Creek (2700 m).

NEON

The site encompasses 582 hectares (1,438 acres) of mixed conifer forest, ranging in elevation from 998 m to 1383 m (3,274 – 4,537ft). The terrain is relatively complex, with coarse hills, steep slopes, and narrow drainages. NEON has designated SOAP as one of two relocatable terrestrial sites for Domain 17 - Pacific Southwest. The domain’s relocatable aquatic site, Upper Big Creek, is just north of the terrestrial site boundaries.

NEON Data (relocatable terrestrial) from this site.

Field Site Type:

US affiliate

Registration:

Unregistered

Network(s):

CZO Affiliate

NEON

Study Start Date:

2018

Mean Annual Precipitation:

805 millimeters / year

Average Summer Temperature:

18°C

Average Winter Temperature:

6°C

Land Cover:

Evergreen Forest

Geology:

igneous-felsic intrusive

Group visibility:

Public - accessible to all site users