La Selva Biological Station

Location:Costa Rica
IUCN Category:VI
Area:6,052 acres (2,449 hectares)
Species:All  Endangered  Invasive
Website:View website
Climate:View Climate Data
Land Use:View Land Use Data
Köppen climate classification:Am (Climate: equatorial; Precipitation: monsoonal)

Ecoregions

Isthmian-Atlantic moist forests

Soils

Protected Area Boundary
 ABC
    
Share60 %40 %60 %25 %15 % 
Soil TypeUmbric AndosolsHaplic AndosolsHumic NitisolsHumic CambisolsFerric AcrisolsHumic Cambisols
Topsoil TextureFineMediumFineFineMediumFine
Reference Depth100 cm100 cm100 cm100 cm100 cm100 cm
DrainageModerately wellModerately wellModerately wellModerately wellModerately wellModerately well
Available Water Capacity150 m150 m150 m150 m150 m150 m
Topsoil Properties
Gravel1 %1 %1 %6 %1 %6 %
Sand13 %32 %24 %26 %55 %26 %
Silt13 %43 %27 %36 %18 %36 %
Clay74 %25 %49 %38 %27 %38 %
USDA TextureClay (heavy)LoamClayClay loamSandy clay loamClay loam
Reference Bulk Density1.16 g/cm³1.35 g/cm³1.24 g/cm³1.28 g/cm³1.39 g/cm³1.28 g/cm³
Bulk Density0.62 g/cm³0.78 g/cm³1.18 g/cm³1.27 g/cm³1.41 g/cm³1.27 g/cm³
Organic Carbon6.84 %4.67 %2.45 %2.98 %0.95 %2.98 %
PH4.965.34.95.24.9
Clay Cation Exchange Capacity 58 cmol kg⁻¹21 cmol kg⁻¹50 cmol kg⁻¹10 cmol kg⁻¹50 cmol kg⁻¹
Soil Cation Exchange Capacity23 cmol kg⁻¹31 cmol kg⁻¹20 cmol kg⁻¹29 cmol kg⁻¹6 cmol kg⁻¹29 cmol kg⁻¹
Base Saturation13 %51 %27 %20 %57 %20 %
Total Exchangeable Bases3 cmol kg⁻¹15.8 cmol kg⁻¹5.4 cmol kg⁻¹5.8 cmol kg⁻¹3.4 cmol kg⁻¹5.8 cmol kg⁻¹
Calcium Carbonate0 %0 %0 %0 %0 %0 %
Calcium Sulphate0 %0 %0 %0 %0 %0 %
Exchangeable Sodium1 %1 %1 %1 %2 %1 %
Electrical Conductivity0 dS m-10 dS m-10 dS m-10 dS m-10 dS m-10 dS m-1
Subsoil Properties
Gravel1 %1 %1 %7 %1 %7 %
Sand11 %35 %18 %32 %43 %32 %
Silt33 %40 %21 %33 %17 %33 %
Clay56 %25 %61 %35 %40 %35 %
USDA TextureClayLoamClay (heavy)Clay loamClayClay loam
Reference Bulk Density1.2 g/cm³1.36 g/cm³1.2 g/cm³1.3 g/cm³1.31 g/cm³1.3 g/cm³
Bulk Density0.77 g/cm³0.78 g/cm³1.25 g/cm³1.29 g/cm³1.48 g/cm³1.29 g/cm³
Organic Carbon4.19 %1.83 %0.96 %0.61 %0.39 %0.61 %
PH4.76.15.45.35.15.3
Clay Cation Exchange Capacity2 cmol kg⁻¹61 cmol kg⁻¹16 cmol kg⁻¹44 cmol kg⁻¹11 cmol kg⁻¹44 cmol kg⁻¹
Soil Cation Exchange Capacity16 cmol kg⁻¹22 cmol kg⁻¹20 cmol kg⁻¹18 cmol kg⁻¹6 cmol kg⁻¹18 cmol kg⁻¹
Base Saturation16 %80 %29 %22 %38 %22 %
Total Exchangeable Bases2.6 cmol kg⁻¹17.6 cmol kg⁻¹5.8 cmol kg⁻¹4 cmol kg⁻¹2.3 cmol kg⁻¹4 cmol kg⁻¹
Calcium Carbonate0 %0 %0 %0 %0 %0 %
Calcium Sulphate0 %0 %0 %0 %0 %0 %
Exchangeable Sodium1 %2 %1 %1 %3 %1 %
Electrical Conductivity0 dS m-10 dS m-10 dS m-10 dS m-10 dS m-10 dS m-1
Soil data provided by FAO/IIASA/ISRIC/ISSCAS/JRC, 2012. Harmonized World Soil Database (version 1.2). FAO, Rome, Italy and IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria.
Köppen climate classification provided by Kottek, M., J. Grieser, C. Beck, B. Rudolf, and F. Rubel, 2006: World Map of Köppen-Geiger Climate Classification updated. Meteorol. Z., 15, 259-263