How much does woodland soil accumulates every year?

[maxxkatt]

I am wondering are there any estimates of hardwood forests annual soil build up?

1/4" per year would mean CW relics would be buried 39" deep.
or 1/10" per year they would be buried 15.8" deep.

I have reports from some older detectorist around Atlanta saying in the mid 70's were finding hundreds of 3 ringers. would mean an additional coverage of 11.7 inches if the accumulation rate was 1/4" per year.

Or 4.7" if the accumulation rate was 1/10" of an inch.

Maybe that is where are of the CW relics are now hiding around here, just below the depths that our detectors can detect.

Now I am guessing in ravines the opposite is happening and the dirt is eroding at the same time as building if covered with trees.

 

[atomicbrh]

The current prevailing theory is that the earth is not increasing in circumference.
The scientists claim the accuracy of their calculations to be 0.2 mm.
Matter is neither created or destroyed but just observing leaf buildup and turf buildup, you would think the earth was increasing in size. They say wind and water erosion keep it in general at the correct size.

 

[Country Dirt Kid]

If you live in the humid south then the humus created by the breakdown of organic material from trees mineralizes too rapidly to accumulate year after year. It breaks down into simpler chemicals and dissolves into the ground water.

 

[maxxkatt]

If you live in the humid south then the humus created by the breakdown of organic material from trees mineralizes too rapidly to accumulate year after year. It breaks down into simpler chemicals and dissolves into the ground water.

that is good to know. I live in north Atlanta. not quite the deep south, but maybe close. I would hate to think that all the CW relics are beyond 12 inches.

 

[Chris(SoCenWI)]

My understanding is that turf builds between 4-6 inches of black dirt per century, so around 1/16 inch per year. Leaf matter in forests is less dense and creates dirt much more slowly. There are a million and seventeen factors that can affect this, but in general this corresponds with my metal detecting experience quite well.

I find Civil War era and older goodies here in Wisconsin quite frequently.

Chris(SoCenWI)