Whole-Tree Clear-Cutting Effects on Soil Horizons and Organic-Matter Pools

Johnson, Chris; Johnson, Arthur H.; Huntington, Thomas G.; Siccama, Thomas G.

doi:10.2136/sssaj1991.03615995005500020034x

Cited by 155 publications

(87 citation statements)

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“…Organic C pools in mineral soil horizons may decline slightly during the first decade after large-scale disturbance; however, as noted earlier, high spatial variability makes the detection of such changes difficult (Johnson et al 1991). The C content of soil horizons below 10 cm had declined significantly eight years after whole-tree harvest of W5, but the changes for the mineral soil as a whole were not statistically significant (Johnson et al 1995).…”

Section: Large-scale Disturbance and C Storage And Fluxmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…This observation inspired a flurry of research into forest floor dynamics, which generally failed to document increased decomposition rates following logging, one of the suggested mechanisms for the decline (Yanai et al 2003). Subsequent studies following the harvest of W5 at the HBEF indicated that much of the C lost from the forest floor had actually been mixed into the mineral soil during logging operations (Huntington and Ryan 1990; Johnson et al 1991). Measurements of undisturbed forest floor horizons on W5 13 years after harvest indicated a 17% reduction in C content.…”

Section: Large-scale Disturbance and C Storage And Fluxmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Biogeochemistry of Carbon at Hubbard Brook

et al. 2005

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Abstract. The biogeochemical behavior of carbon in the forested watersheds of the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (HBEF) was analyzed in long-term studies. The largest pools of C in the reference watershed (W6) reside in mineral soil organic matter (43% of total ecosystem C) and living biomass (40.5%), with the remainder in surface detritus (14.5%). Repeated sampling indicated that none of these pools was changing significantly in the late-1990s, although high spatial variability precluded the detection of small changes in the soil organic matter pools, which are large; hence, net ecosystem productivity (NEP) in this 2nd growth forest was near zero (± about 20 g C/m 2 -yr) and probably similar in magnitude to fluvial export of organic C. Aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) of the forest declined by 24% between the late-1950s (462 g C/m 2 -yr) and the late-1990s (354 g C/m 2 -yr), illustrating age-related decline in forest NPP, effects of multiple stresses and unusual tree mortality, or both. Application of the simulation model PnET-II predicted 14% higher ANPP than was observed for 1996-1997, probably reflecting some unknown stresses. Fine litterfall flux (171 g C/m 2 -yr) has not changed much since the late-1960s. Because of high annual variation, C flux in woody litterfall (including tree mortality) was not tightly constrained but averaged about 90 g C/m 2 -yr. Carbon flux to soil organic matter in root turnover (128 g C/m 2 -yr) was only about half as large as aboveground detritus. Balancing the soil C budget requires that large amounts of C (80 g C/m 2 -yr) were transported from roots to rhizosphere carbon flux. Total soil respiration (TSR) ranged from 540 to 800 g C/m 2 -yr across eight stands and decreased with increasing elevation within the northern hardwood forest near W6. The watershedwide TSR was estimated as 660 g C/m 2 -yr. Empirical measurements indicated that 58% of TSR occurred in the surface organic horizons and that root respiration comprised about 40% of TSR, most of the rest being microbial. Carbon flux directly associated with other heterotrophs in the HBEF was minor; for example, we estimated respiration of soil microarthropods, rodents, birds and moose at about 3, 5, 1 and 0.8 g C/m 2 -yr, respectively, or in total less than 2% of NPP. Hence, the effects of other heterotrophs on C flux were primarily indirect, with the exception of occasional 2 -yr) were small, larger quantities of C were transported within the ecosystem and a more substantial fraction of dissolved C was transported from the soil as inorganic C and evaded from the stream as CO 2 (4.0 g C/m 2 -yr). Carbon pools and fluxes change rapidly in response to catastrophic disturbances such as forest harvest or major windthrow events. These changes are dominated by living vegetation and dead wood pools, including roots. If biomass removal does not accompany large-scale disturbance, the ecosystem is a large net source of C to the atmosphere (500-1200 g C/m 2 -yr) for about a decade following disturbance and becomes a net si...

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Section: Large-scale Disturbance and C Storage And Fluxmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Large-scale Disturbance and C Storage And Fluxmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Biogeochemistry of Carbon at Hubbard Brook

et al. 2005

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“…The decreased total C concentration ofthe forest floor in the harvested area at Judy Creek may be due to mixing of mineral soil with the liffer layer during harvesting as reported by Johnson et al (1991a Johnson et al 1991b). Nitrification is a strong acidifying process that can displace nutrient bases from the exchange complex and mobilize A1 into solution (Sposito 1989 Munson et al (1993)].…”

Section: Lmpact Of Harvestingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of harvesting and mechanical site preparation on soil chemical properties of mixed-wood boreal forest sites in Alberta

Schmidt¹,

Macdonald²,

Rothwell³

1996

Can. J. Soil. Sci.

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“…However, treatment did not have a significant effect on the ratio C/N (Kaarakka et al, 2014). In contrast, studies in Sweden and United States provided no evidence that whole tree harvesting reduced soil organic matter pools, C or N (Johnson et al, 1991;Olsson et al, 1996).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

The Impact of Management Practices on Soil Fertility and Foliar Nutrient Concentrations in a Spruce (Picea abies Link) Forest Ecosystem of Rodopi Mountainous Area, in Northern Greece

Papaioannou

Chatzistathis

Menexes

2018

Not Bot Horti Agrobo

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After forest harvesting, organic matter accumulation and soil nutrient availability are usually negatively influenced, especially during the first years. The hypothesis that 15 years after selective harvesting (15Y) the increased forest biomass, together with the enhanced nutrient recycling rates, compared to 5-years after harvesting (5Y), could restore nutrient availability and organic C accumulation (both in forest floor and soil) to similar levels to the intact site, was tested. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the timing of management practices (intact forest-control, 5Y, 15Y) on organic matter content, nutrient concentrations in needles, forest floor and soil, in a forest ecosystem of Picea abies L., in Rodopi mountainous area, in northern Greece. Significant differences between the intact site and the other two treatments were found in: i) soil N, P, C/N and exchangeable Ca, ii) organic matter and nutrient accumulation (basically in the upper 30 cm), iii) foliar K, Fe and Zn concentrations. In conclusion: i) forest management practices clearly influenced soil fertility and organic matter accumulation, ii) 15 years after selective harvesting nutrient and organic C accumulation in forest floor, as well as K and Fe accumulation in soil were restored to similar levels to the intact sites; thus, our hypothesis was partially correct.

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Whole-Tree Clear-Cutting Effects on Soil Horizons and Organic-Matter Pools

Cited by 155 publications

References 0 publications

The Biogeochemistry of Carbon at Hubbard Brook

The Biogeochemistry of Carbon at Hubbard Brook

Impacts of harvesting and mechanical site preparation on soil chemical properties of mixed-wood boreal forest sites in Alberta

The Impact of Management Practices on Soil Fertility and Foliar Nutrient Concentrations in a Spruce (Picea abies Link) Forest Ecosystem of Rodopi Mountainous Area, in Northern Greece

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