Disturbance intensity and dominant cover type influence rate of boreal soil carbon change: A Canadian multi-regional analysis

Kishchuk, Barbara E.; Morris, Dave M.; Lorente, Miren; Keddy, Tim; Sidders, Derek; Quideau, Sylvie A.; Thiffault, Évelyne; Kwiaton, Martin M.; Maynard, D. G.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2016.09.002

Cited by 24 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 90 publications

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“…Deep soil layers are generally colder, less aerated, sometimes waterlogged, and generally more nutrient-limited relative to surface layers, thereby limiting microbial biomass, microbial activity, and associated C losses [37]. The SOC located in the forest floor, in contrast, is more vulnerable to environmental perturbations, fire, and management activities [40][41][42]. Thus, soil depth becomes critical in assessing SOC storage potential [43].…”

Section: Aspen Does Not Increase Soil C But Promotes Its Stabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

A Tree Species Effect on Soil That Is Consistent Across the Species’ Range: The Case of Aspen and Soil Carbon in North America

Laganière

Boča

Miegroet

et al. 2017

Forests

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Trembling aspen covers a large geographic range in North America, and previous studies reported that a better understanding of its singular influence on soil properties and processes is of high relevance for global change questions. Here we investigate the potential impact of a shift in aspen abundance on soil carbon sequestration and soil carbon stability at the continental scale by conducting a systematic literature review using 23 published studies. Our review shows that aspen's effect on soil carbon is relatively consistent throughout the species range. Aspen stores less C in the forest floor but similar amounts in the mineral soil relative to conifers. However, a robust set of indicators of soil C stability, for example, degree of organo-mineral associations, proportion of readily-available or labile C estimated during long-term soil incubations or using hot-water extraction, pattern of soil C distribution, and temperature sensitivity of soil heterotrophic respiration, reveals that the soil organic carbon (SOC) stock under aspen is more stable, rendering it more protected against environmental changes and soil disturbances. Therefore, our continental-scale analysis highlights that an increase in the abundance of trembling aspen in North American forests may increase the resistance and resilience of soil C stocks against global changes.

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Section: Aspen Does Not Increase Soil C But Promotes Its Stabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

A Tree Species Effect on Soil That Is Consistent Across the Species’ Range: The Case of Aspen and Soil Carbon in North America

Laganière

Boča

Miegroet

et al. 2017

Forests

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“…In addition, many managed forests experience compound disturbances, for example, prescribed burning of a site following harvest, or salvage logging following wildfire (HF). Such compound disturbances may become increasingly common due to projected increases in the frequency and severity of forest fires at northern latitudes (Westerling, Hidalgo, Cayan, & Swetnam, 2006), and may affect soil element concentrations and stocks more significantly than either harvesting or fire alone (Kishchuk et al, 2015(Kishchuk et al, , 2016.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Intensive forest harvesting increases susceptibility of northern forest soils to carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus loss

Hume

Chen

Taylor

2017

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Understanding the impact of forest harvesting is critical to sustainable forest management, yet there remains much uncertainty regarding how harvesting affects soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) dynamics. Here, we conducted a global meta‐analysis of 808 observations from 49 studies to test the effects of harvesting on the stocks and concentrations of soil C, N and P and C:N:P ratios relative to uncut control stands. With all harvesting intensities combined, C stock was unaffected by harvesting in either the forest floor or mineral soil, while harvesting reduced forest floor [C], [N] and [P] and C:N ratio, increased the mineral soil [C] and C:N ratio, but reduced mineral soil N stock. The impacts of harvesting on forest floor C and N stocks, C:P and N:P and mineral soil [C] and [N] changed from no effects by partial, stem‐only and whole‐tree harvesting (WTH) to significantly negative effects by the harvesting coupled with fire. Stem‐only and WTH similarly reduced forest floor [P]. The negative effects of harvesting were most pronounced in conifer stands. Soil [C], [N] and C:N decreased with time since harvesting, but soil [P] did not, resulting in an increase in forest floor N:P. Synthesis and applications. Our findings highlight the importance of harvest intensity and rotation length on long‐term soil nutrient availability when managing forests. Furthermore, the lag in the recovery of phosphorus concentration following harvesting may indicate a decoupling of the phosphorus cycle from those of carbon and nitrogen, and a potential concern in managed forests.

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“…Recovery of soil processes is likely to be faster the less intense the disturbance (cf. Kishchuk et al 2016). The direct exposure of the soil surface is likely to be smaller in BCT than in PCT, implying that the effects of BCT on soil temperature (and thus mineralization) could be less pronounced at the stand level.…”

Section: Geophysical Attributesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Boreal forests contain significant stocks of carbon (C) and are regarded as a sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide (Kishchuk et al 2016). In addition to causing immediate impacts on forest carbon budgets, thinning operations that affect the canopy and species composition of future stands are likely to have major effects on boreal forests' long-term carbon sequestration capacity.…”

Section: Geophysical Attributesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variable corridor thinning – a cost-effective key to provision of multiple ecosystem services from young boreal conifer forests?

Witzell

Bergström

Bergsten

2019

Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research

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The review discusses the potential of mechanized thinning operations with variable corridor patterns as a method to secure multiple ecosystem services. The focus is on young and dense forests, which are increasingly abundant in Northern Europe and a potential source of renewable biomass for the needs of future bioeconomy. Conventional selective (motor-manual) pre-commercial thinning (PCT) without outtake of cut biomass is used as a benchmark to evaluate a new mechanized thinning method: boom corridor thinning (BCT). The paucity of specific studies on the environmental effects of BCT limits systematic and quantitative comparisons. However, information extrapolated from studies on selective or other corridor thinnings suggests that BCT potentiates early outtake of forest biomass for energy or biorefineries while simultaneously maintaining the stand structure's vertical heterogeneity and thereby supporting biodiversity. More experimental evidence is urgently needed to elucidate the detailed environmental consequences of BCT, and especially its effects on biodiversity and carbon balance. The increasing need to evaluate the pros and cons of silvicultural operations against a broad range of ecosystem benefits necessitates a holistic approach and the development of new typologies and indices that better reflect the structural properties of forest stands.

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Disturbance intensity and dominant cover type influence rate of boreal soil carbon change: A Canadian multi-regional analysis

Cited by 24 publications

References 90 publications

A Tree Species Effect on Soil That Is Consistent Across the Species’ Range: The Case of Aspen and Soil Carbon in North America

A Tree Species Effect on Soil That Is Consistent Across the Species’ Range: The Case of Aspen and Soil Carbon in North America

Intensive forest harvesting increases susceptibility of northern forest soils to carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus loss

Variable corridor thinning – a cost-effective key to provision of multiple ecosystem services from young boreal conifer forests?

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