Soil Temperature and Moisture Differentials from Concrete Sidewalks

Anecdotal observa/ons suggest that impervious surfaces influence water content and temperature in surrounding soil and subsequently may affect plant quality. A study was conducted using GS3 soil moisture sensors (Decagon Devices, Pullman, Washington) in the Sustainable Demonstra/on Garden at Clemson University to measure the effect of sidewalks on soil moisture and temperature. Three reps of soil sensors were installed at 15, 30, 45 and 60 cm increments from the sidewalk, at a depth of 10 cm into the soil on August 9, 2013, and moved in two month intervals on October 17, 2013 and January 23, 2014, for a total of three trials. Measurements are logged every 30 minutes using EM50G data loggers (Decagon Devices). Weather data was organized from the Clemson University Entomology Weather Sta/on. We hypothesize that the condi/ons near the sidewalk would have lower soil moisture content and temperatures than sensors placed at further. The findings from this study will allow growers to manage landscapes more sustainably by improved irriga/on prac/ces, plant selec/on and placement. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the difference between treatments. Data was analyzed using the SAS software (SAS, Cary, NC).