Road and site characteristics that influence road salt distribution and damage to roadside aspen trees

During the summer of 1972 extensive necrosis of aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) leaves appeared on the downhill side of a road paved in August 1971 to improve access to the Santa Fe Ski Basin, Santa Fe County, New Mexico. A Forest Service investigation showed that chloride concentrations in leaf tissue were significantly correlated with leaf damage. Our study of soil chloride distribution as influenced by physiographic and road features shows a statistically significant relationship between these features and damage to road side aspen.