Clear-cutting and regeneration practices in Quebec boreal balsam fir forest: effects on snowshoe hare

2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia de Bellefeuille ◽  
Louis Bélanger ◽  
Jean Huot ◽  
Agathe Cimon
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Natural Regeneration ◽  
Lepus Americanus ◽  
Seedling Stage ◽  
Snowshoe Hare ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
Term Basis ◽  
Protective Cover

We compared utilization by the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus Erxleben) of recent clearcuts subjected to three regeneration scenarios commonly used in boreal forest: natural regeneration, plantation with herbicide release (glyphosate), and plantation with manual release (brushsaw). Refuges for snowshoe hare, on a landscape dominated by clearcuts, were also investigated. Colonization of regenerating sites by the hare comes late in the humid boreal forest because clear-cut stands take more than 10 years to reach the sapling stage. Our sites were in the seedling stage 7–9 years after cutting, and hares avoided them year round because of an inadequate protective cover. Therefore, regeneration treatments did not affect habitat use by the hare on a short-term basis. During the seedling stage, the snowshoe hare were found in the remaining forest which occupied at least 25% of the area of each home range. The preservation of residual forests is thus essential to maintain local populations on an area dominated by commercial clearcuts.

scholarly journals Short-term effects of thinning, clear-cutting and stump harvesting on methane exchange in a boreal forest

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (21) ◽  
pp. 6095-6105 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Sundqvist ◽  
P. Vestin ◽  
P. Crill ◽  
T. Persson ◽  
A. Lindroth
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Forest Site ◽  
Managed Forests ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
Ch4 Production ◽  
Short Term Effects

Abstract. Forest management practices can alter soil conditions, affecting the consumption and production processes that control soil methane (CH4) exchange. We studied the short-term effects of thinning, clear-cutting and stump harvesting on the CH4 exchange between soil and atmosphere at a boreal forest site in central Sweden, using an undisturbed plot as the control. Chambers in combination with a high-precision laser gas analyser were used for continuous measurements. Both the undisturbed plot and the thinned plot were net sinks of CH4, whereas the clear-cut plot and the stump harvested plot were net CH4 sources. The CH4 uptake at the thinned plot was reduced in comparison to the undisturbed plot. The shift from sink to source at the clear-cut and stump harvested plots was probably due to a rise in the water table and an increase in soil moisture, leading to lower gas diffusivity and more reduced conditions, which favour CH4 production by archea. Reduced evapotranspiration after harvesting leads to wetter soils, decreased CH4 consumption and increased CH4 production, and should be accounted for in the CH4 budget of managed forests.

scholarly journals Short-term effects of thinning, clear-cutting and stump harvesting on methane exchange in a boreal forest

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 4637-4667 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Sundqvist ◽  
P. Vestin ◽  
P. Crill ◽  
T. Persson ◽  
A. Lindroth
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Forest Site ◽  
Managed Forests ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
Ch4 Production ◽  
Short Term Effects

Abstract. Forest management practices can alter soil conditions, affecting the consumption and production processes that control soil methane (CH4) exchange. We studied the short-term effects of thinning, clear-cutting and stump harvesting on the CH4 exchange between soil and atmosphere at a boreal forest site in central Sweden, using an undisturbed plot as the control. Chambers in combination with a high precision laser gas analyser were used for continuous measurements. Both the undisturbed plot and the thinned plot were net sinks of CH4, whereas the clear-cut plot and the stump harvested plot were net CH4 sources. The CH4 uptake at the thinned plot was reduced in comparison to the undisturbed plot. The shift from sink to source at the clear-cut and stump harvested plots was probably due to a rise of the water table and an increase in soil moisture, leading to lower gas diffusivity and more reduced conditions which favour CH4 production by archea. Reduced evapotranspiration after harvesting leads to wetter soils, decreased CH4 consumption and increased CH4 production, and should be accounted for in the CH4 budget of managed forests.

scholarly journals Natural Regeneration of the Tree Stand in the Bilberry Spruce Forest—Clear-Cutting Ecotone Complex in the First Post-Logging Decade

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1542
Author(s):  
Nadezhda V. Genikova ◽  
Viktor N. Mamontov ◽  
Alexander M. Kryshen ◽  
Vladimir A. Kharitonov ◽  
Sergey A. Moshnikov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Regeneration ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Forest Edge ◽  
Tree Canopy ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Clear Cutting

Bilberry spruce forests are the most widespread forest type in the European boreal zone. Limiting the clear-cuttings size leads to fragmentation of forest cover and the appearance of large areas of ecotone complexes, composed of forest (F), a transition from forest to the cut-over site under tree canopy (FE), a transition from forest to the cut-over site beyond tree canopy (CE), and the actual clear-cut site (C). Natural regeneration of woody species (spruce, birch, rowan) in the bilberry spruce stand—clear-cut ecotone complex was studied during the first decade after logging. The effects produced by the time since cutting, forest edge aspect, and the ground cover on the emergence and growth of trees and shrubs under forest canopy and openly in the clear-cut were investigated. Estimating the amount and size of different species in the regeneration showed FE and CE width to be 8 m—roughly half the height of first-story trees. Typical forest conditions (F) feature a relatively small amount of regenerating spruce and birch. The most favorable conditions for natural regeneration of spruce in the clear-cut—mature bilberry spruce stand ecotone are at the forest edge in areas of transition both towards the forest and towards the clear-cut (FE and CE). Clear-cut areas farther from the forest edge (C) offer an advantage to regenerating birch, which grows densely and actively in this area.

scholarly journals Impacts of Clear-Cutting of a Boreal Forest on Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Nitrous Oxide Fluxes

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 961
Author(s):  
Patrik Vestin ◽  
Meelis Mölder ◽  
Natascha Kljun ◽  
Zhanzhang Cai ◽  
Abdulghani Hasan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Forest Management ◽  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
N2o Fluxes ◽  
Ch4 And N2o ◽  
Ghg Fluxes

The 2015 Paris Agreement encourages stakeholders to implement sustainable forest management policies to mitigate anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). The net effects of forest management on the climate and the environment are, however, still not completely understood, partially as a result of a lack of long-term measurements of GHG fluxes in managed forests. During the period 2010–2013, we simultaneously measured carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes using the flux-gradient technique at two clear-cut plots of different degrees of wetness, located in central Sweden. The measurements started approx. one year after clear-cutting, directly following soil scarification and planting. The study focused on robust inter-plot comparisons, spatial and temporal dynamics of GHG fluxes, and the determination of the global warming potential of a clear-cut boreal forest. The clear-cutting resulted in significant emissions of GHGs at both the wet and the dry plot. The degree of wetness determined, directly or indirectly, the relative contribution of each GHG to the total budgets. Faster establishment of vegetation on the wet plot reduced total emissions of CO2 as compared to the dry plot but this was partially offset by higher CH4 emissions. Waterlogging following clear-cutting likely caused both plots to switch from sinks to sources of CH4. In addition, there were periods with N2O uptake at the wet plot, although both plots were net sources of N2O on an annual basis. We observed clear diel patters in CO2, CH4 and N2O fluxes during the growing season at both plots, with the exception of CH4 at the dry plot. The total three-year carbon budgets were 4107 gCO2-equivalent m−2 and 5274 gCO2-equivalent m−2 at the wet and the dry plots, respectively. CO2 contributed 91.8% to the total carbon budget at the wet plot and 98.2% at the dry plot. For the only full year with N2O measurements, the total GHG budgets were 1069.9 gCO2-eqvivalents m−2 and 1695.7 gCO2-eqvivalents m−2 at the wet and dry plot, respectively. At the wet plot, CH4 contributed 3.7%, while N2O contributed 7.3%. At the dry plot, CH4 and N2O contributed 1.5% and 7.6%, respectively. Our results emphasize the importance of considering the effects of the three GHGs on the climate for any forest management policy aiming at enhancing the mitigation potential of forests.

An alternative to clear-cutting in the boreal forest of Alaska: a 27-year study of regeneration after shelterwood harvesting

2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 999-1011 ◽  
Author(s):  
T L Wurtz ◽  
J C Zasada
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Picea Glauca ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Seed Crop ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Calamagrostis Canadensis ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
All Treatment

We present 27-year results from a comparison of clear-cutting and shelterwood harvesting in the boreal forest of Alaska. Three patch clear-cut and three shelterwood units were harvested in 1972; about 100 dispersed white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) leave trees per hectare were retained in the shelterwoods. Units were mechanically scarified and an exceptionally large seed-crop was dispersed that year. Shelterwood trees were removed after 15 years. After 27 years, overstory treatment had no effect on the density or growth of the species we studied, while scarification had highly significant effects. In 1999, scarified areas were densely populated with white spruce seedlings and saplings (118 000 – 129 000 stems/ha, with spruce in 100% of plots). Unscarified areas had far fewer spruce stems but were nevertheless well stocked (11 000 – 15 000 stems/ha, with 87% frequency). Initially, spruce grew best on scarified surfaces, but by 27 years, growth of the tallest spruce saplings was significantly greater on unscarified than scarified surfaces. By 27 years, cover of the grass Calamagrostis canadensis (Michx.) Nutt. had returned to preharvest levels in all treatment types. Because criteria for evaluating forest management practices have changed since this study was begun, partial overstory retention systems for the management of Alaska's boreal forest deserve further study.

scholarly journals Stand-level Attributes of Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus) Habitat in a Post-Fire Trembling Aspen (Populus tremuloides) Chronosequence in Central Yukon

2013 ◽  
Vol 126 (4) ◽  
pp. 295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne L. Strong ◽  
Thomas S. Jung
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Populus Tremuloides ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Lepus Americanus ◽  
Snowshoe Hare ◽  
Trembling Aspen ◽  
Understory Shrubs

Large-scale fires are anticipated to increase in frequency in the boreal forest under global climate warming scenarios. To understand concomitant responses by wildlife to fire-induced habitat changes, fecal pellet counts were used to assess Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus) use of four age-classes of boreal forest after fire in central Yukon, Canada. Use of stands across a chronosequence of 8–177 years was bimodal. Post-fire Trembling Aspen (Populus tremuloides) stands ≤20 years old had greater densities of Snowshoe Hare pellets (median 156 pellets/dam2) than Trembling Aspen stands 21–70 years old, mixedwood stands 71–120 years old (<17 pellets/dam2), or Western White Spruce (Picea albertiana) -dominated stands 121–170 years old (71 pellets/dam2). Forty stand-level compositional and structural variables were assessed as possible predictors of Snowshoe Hare pellet densities. Multidimensional scaling was used to identify variables (n = 10) that were most strongly related to pellet densities and was followed by multiple regression. Canopy cover of Trembling Aspen <50 cm tall and Western White Spruce ≤1 m tall, and deadfall depth, in combination, were the best estimators of Snowshoe Hare pellet densities among stands in the chronosequence (P <0.001, 64.5% variance explained). Although Trembling Aspen <50 cm tall explained the most variance, its canopy cover did not exceed 10%. More Trembling Aspen cover <50 cm tall and greater deadfall depths within the chronosequence were associated with stands ≤20 years old. Peak Snowshoe Hare use occurred in early (≤20 years old) rather than mid-successional (21–120 years old) stands, contrary to use patterns reported elsewhere. The lack of tall understory shrubs likely limited the use of mid-successional stands.

Nitrogen fertilization stimulates herbivory by snowshoe hares in the boreal forest

1996 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 196-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vilis O. Nams ◽  
Nicholas F. G. Folkard ◽  
James N. M. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Nitrogen Fertilization ◽  
Lepus Americanus ◽  
Snowshoe Hare ◽  
General Area ◽  
Snowshoe Hares

We fertilized small plots in the boreal forest of the southwestern Yukon, Canada, to see how herbivory was affected. We assessed snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) activity by counting pellets, and estimated grazing on grass as the proportion of blades eaten. After 2 years of fertilization, snowshoe hares spent more time on and near the test plots with more fertilizer. More grass was grazed on those plots but not near them. Thus, herbivores were attracted to the general area of the fertilized plots but only grazed directly on the plots.

Monitoring of natural regeneration in a mixed deciduous forest

1999 ◽  
Vol 64 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. M. Tabari ◽  
N. Lust
Keyword(s):  
Survival Rate ◽  
Natural Regeneration ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Seedling Stage ◽  
Permanent Plots ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Humus Layer ◽  
Beech Stand ◽  
Regeneration Phase

Monitoring  of natural regeneration in a dense semi-natural mixed hardwood forest on the  base    of ash, beech, oak and sycamore occurred over 3 years in the Aelmoeseneie  experimental    forest, Belgium. 40 permanent plots (4 m x 5 m) were selected in three  various humus types,    located in an ash stand and in an oak - beech stand. In all plots abundance  and top height of all    broad leaved regenerated species were determined at the end of the growing  seasons 1995 and    1998. In addition, the seedlings which appeared in the plots during 1996  and 1997 were    identified and followed up.    This study proves that in the investigated sites natural regeneration is  drastically poor and    diversity is low, in particular where the humus layer is more acidic (mull  moder) and the litter    layer is thick. No regeneration phase older than the seedling stage (h &lt;  40 cm) is developed on    the different humus types. On average, total number of seedlings in 1995  amounts to 38    units/are in the ash stand and to 63 units/are in the oak - beech stand.  Survival rate over a 3-    year period is 37% and 42% respectively in the ash and oak - beech stands.  Total ingrowth    during the growing seasons 1996 and 1997 is virtually poor, indicating 16  and 8 units/are    respectively in above mentioned stands. Survival rate of occurring  seedlings, as well as the ingrowth of new seedlings are notably different (P &lt; 0.05) according to the soil conditions of the    ash stand. Generally, the low presence of seedlings and the lack of  regeneration older than the    seedling stage reveal that the regeneration development encounters with a  critical problem. The    continuation of this process would likely result in a progressive  succession by the invasive and    the unwanted tree species.

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