Distribution of carbon and nutrients and fluxes of mineral nitrogen after clear-felling a Pinusradiata plantation

Abstract

The effects of clear-felling and slash removal on the distribution of organic matter and nutrients, fluxes of mineral N, and soil water and temperature were studied in a 37-year-old Pinusradiata D. Don plantation, on a sandy Podzol in southeastern Australia. Slash, litter, and the top 30 cm of soil combined contained 1957 kg N•ha−1, of which slash and litter contained 12 and 25%, respectively. Therefore, loss of slash and litter due to burning or other intensive site preparation practices would substantially reduce the N capital at the site. During the first 18 months after clear-felling, soil water content in the clear-felled area was up to 50% higher than in the uncut plantation, but there were only minor differences in soil temperature. Slash removal decreased the water content of litter, but had little effect on the water content or temperature of the soil. In the uncut plantation, N mineralized in litter and soil was completely taken up by the trees. Following clear-felling, rates of N mineralization increased in litter after 4 months, and in soil after 12 months, but changes were less pronounced with slash removal. After clear-felling, increased mineralization and the absence of trees (no uptake) led to increased concentrations of mineral N in both litter and soil, 64–76% of which was leached below the 30 cm soil depth prior to replanting. Despite leaching, concentrations of mineral N after clear-felling remained higher than those in the uncut plantation for at least 3 years.

Carbon balance for different management practices for fast growing tree species planted on former pastureland in southern Europe: a case study using the CO2Fix model

“…Moreover, the effect of harvesting residues on SOC is time limited, because C and N increase temporally because of residues becoming incorporated into the soil (Black and Harden 1995, Knoepp and Swank 1997, Smethurst and Nambiar 1990, and the increase in soil C and N is shortlived [less than 4 years, according Smethurst and Nambiar (1990)]. Nevertheless, some authors have reported that intensified biomass extraction slightly decreased forest growth and thus the biomass carbon stock and litter input to the soil (Helmisaari et al 2011;Palosuo et al 2008).…”

Conversion of a natural broad-leafed evergreen forest into pure plantation forests in a subtropical area: Effects on carbon storage

“…The tree carbon storage of the CK was lower than that of a successional forest (258.996 Mg ha -1 , 25-year-old) in Jianfenglin in tropical China [47] and higher than that of a temperate mixed deciduous forest (165.05 Mg ha -1 ) [36], Panamanian teak mature plantations (120 Mg ha -1 , 20-year-old) [21] and gallery forest (64.4 Mg ha -1 ) [45]. The carbon stored in the trees of the FH and CF plantations is similar to the final stocks of Brazilian slash pine (112 Mg ha -1 ) on medium site classes [30], while lower than that of Australian radiata pine (171 Mg ha -1 over 45-year rotation) [40].…”

Silvicultural treatments, microclimatic conditions and seedling response in Southern Interior clearcuts

“…As a result, newly planted seedlings and recolonizing vegetation are subjected to microclimate extremes, and these extremes can vary considerably, depending on the physical characteristics of the ground surface. At the same time, plant nutrient demands are low because of the limited leaf area carried by this vegetation (Bormann and Likens 1979;Smethurst and Nambiar 1990a), and nutrient availability is high, reflecting both accelerated rates of decomposition and mineralization in the forest floor (Vitousek and Matson 1985;Smethurst and Nambiar 1990b), and high nutrient concentrations in the plugs of containerized seedlings. Thus, for many sites, microclimate conditions may be the primary determinant governing seedling establishment and initial stand development.…”