Die Melioration streugenutzter Böden

Using experimental manipulation to assess the roles of leaf litter in the functioning of forest ecosystems

“…In terms of nutrient losses, a few decades of litter harvesting are comparable with the whole tree harvest of a 100-year old stand (Kilian, 1998 ; Table 1). Peak litter removal by raking destroyed the acidneutralizing capacity more quickly than acid rain (Glatzel, 1991) and the combined effect of soil acidification and nutrient depletion was the principal cause of destabilization in forest ecosystems in central Europe, which led to mixed deciduous forests being replaced by, or areas replanted with, less nutrient-demanding conifer stands (Ebermayer, 1876 ;Wittich, 1954;Ellenberg, 1988;Jandl et al, 2002). Productivity in litter-harvested forests sank drastically in the 1800s ; the average decline in wood production of raked Kilian (1998) stands is thought to have been around 50 % (Jandl et al, 2002).…”

“…Productivity in litter-harvested forests sank drastically in the 1800s ; the average decline in wood production of raked Kilian (1998) stands is thought to have been around 50 % (Jandl et al, 2002). The effects of long-term litter use persist for many decades after cessation of the harvesting practice and are still reflected in forest soils today in Austria (Glatzel, 1991;Jandl et al, 2002), Switzerland (Perruchoud et al, 1999), and Germany (Wittich, 1954;Kreutzer, 1972;Prietzel, Kolb & Rehfuess, 1997). Litter raking was banned from most forests in Europe by the 1950s (Mitscherlich, 1955), but it remains a common management practice in pine stands in the USA, where 'pine straw ' has an important commercial value as garden mulch (McLeod, Sherrod & Porch, 1979 ;Ross, McKee & Mims, 1994 ;Haywood et al, 1998 ;Lopez-Zamora et al, 2001), and in China, where litter and understorey harvesting provides an important fuel source to peasants Mo et al, 2003;Peng et al, 2003).…”

“…(1 ) Tree growth Long-term litter raking drastically decreased wood production in the forests of central Europe (Ebermayer, 1876;Mitscherlich, 1955). Indeed, declines in timber production of forests of one-third (Schwappach, 1887 ;Klietsch, 1950;Wittich, 1954) and even almost two-thirds (Wiedemann, 1935) have been reported. Calculations from tree ring widths show a 15-20% lower diameter increment after two to three decades of litter raking (Mitscherlich, 1955) and stands replanted on formerly raked soil grew only half as fast as stands planted on unraked ground (Wiedemann, 1935).…”

“…It is widely accepted that centuries of litter removal in central Europe destabilised forest ecosystems and caused a complete change in forest type and dominant species (Ellenberg, 1988). In many areas where litter removal was practiced over long periods of time, deciduous forests were felled and replanted with coniferous species that could grow better on the impoverished soils (Ebermayer, 1876 ;Klietsch, 1950;Wittich, 1954 ;Ellenberg, 1988 ;Jandl et al, 2002). Two long-term studies show a decrease in biodiversity with litter harvesting in China.…”

Erhebungen über die Regeneration von Waldböden und Waldbeständen nach jahrhundertelanger devastiver Bahandlung

“…bessere Äsungsmöglichkeiten (WIEDEMANN 1942;WITTICH, 1954WITTICH, , 1964MILLER, 1964;REHFUESS, 1990). Auf den meisten devastierten Standorten mit Rohhumus gedeiht die Dauerlupine erst nach gründlicher Bodenbearbeitung und: Grunddüngung mit Kalk (1500-1400kg/ha CaC0 3 ) und Phosphat (500-1000kg P-Dünger/ha), (WEHRMANN, 1956;REHFUESS, 1990 Ihr Schaftvolumenzuwachs geht um rund 5-10% in den ersten 3-4 Jahren zurück (ASSMANN, 1965;REHFUESS und SCHMIDT, 1971 (BURSCHEL und HUSS, 1987;REHFUESS, 1990 …”