EFFECT OF FOREST HARVEST ON DECOMPOSITION AND COLONIZATION OF MAPLE LEAF LITTER BY SOIL MICROARTHROPODS

1988 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.A. BIRD ◽  
L. CHATARPAUL
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Forest Harvest ◽  
Litter Bags ◽  
Soil Microarthropods ◽  
Soil Temperatures ◽  
Rates Of Decay ◽  
Whole Tree Harvesting ◽  
Whole Tree

The effect of whole-tree and conventional forest harvest on sugar maple leaf litter decomposition and the colonization of litter bags by soil microarthropods was investigated in a mixed conifer/hardwood forest on the Canadian Shield for 2 yr, beginning 17 mo after forest harvesting. Decomposition of leaves in litter bags was significantly greater (P < 0.05) on harvested plots than on the uncut plot (U), and was greater on the whole-tree harvest plot (W) than on the conventionally harvested plot (C). The increase in nitrogen (N) concentration of the litter over the 2-yr study was greater (P < 0.05) on the C than on the other plots and was in the order C > W > U. Colonization of leaf litter by soil microarthropods was greater (P < 0.05) on the U than on harvested plots, and was greater (P < 0.05) on the C than on the W plot. Thus, soil microarthropods did not appear to be responsible for the faster decomposition on harvested plots compared to the uncut plot, nor were differences in soil temperatures or moisture content among plots responsible for the faster rates of decay. More rapid decay on harvested plots suggests that harvesting increased the availability of nutrients contained in the forest floor. This may result in a loss of both nutrients and long-term productivity, especially with whole-tree harvesting, unless mechanisms are in place to conserve nutrients. Key words: Decomposition, soil microarthropods, whole-tree harvest, soil nitrogen, nutrient cycling, mineralization

Effect of whole-tree and conventional forest harvest on soil microarthropods

1986 ◽  
Vol 64 (9) ◽  
pp. 1986-1993 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Bird ◽  
L. Chatarpaul
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fauna ◽  
Soil Formation ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Major Effect ◽  
Hardwood Forest ◽  
Mixed Conifer ◽  
Soil Microarthropods ◽  
Harvest Plot ◽  
Whole Tree

The effect of whole-tree and conventional harvest on soil microarthropods, Collembola and Acari, was investigated in a mixed conifer–hardwood forest on the Canadian Shield. Harvesting had a major effect on their populations which declined to 56 and 68% of those on the uncut plot for the whole-tree and conventional harvest plots, respectively. Species composition was unaffected by harvesting although there were shifts in dominance. Total numbers of microarthropods and numbers of Oribatei, Prostigmata, and Mesostigmata found on the uncut plot were significantly greater (P < 0.05) than on harvested plots. Slightly higher (P > 0.05) numbers of Collembola were recorded from the conventional harvest plot than the uncut plot. Oribatei, Prostigmata, and Collembola were more abundant (P < 0.01) on the conventional harvest plot than the whole-tree harvest plot. Of the two forest harvesting methods, conventional harvest had a lesser impact on soil microarthropods. Because the forest soil fauna is intimately involved in decomposition, nutrient cycling, and soil formation, our findings suggest that long-term site productivity will be greater following conventional harvest than whole-tree harvest.

Changes in soil sulfur constituents in a forested watershed 8 years after whole-tree harvesting

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 356-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yimin Zhang ◽  
M J Mitchell ◽  
C T Driscoll ◽  
G E Likens
Keyword(s):  
Stream Water ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest ◽  
Soil Solutions ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Soil Sulfur ◽  
Whole Tree Harvesting ◽  
Whole Tree ◽  
Tree Harvesting

Soil S constituents were evaluated before and after the whole-tree harvesting of Watershed 5 (W5) at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire. Soil solution and stream water concentrations of SO42-, NO3-, and H+ were compared between W5 and W6 (reference watershed). Whole-tree harvesting increased phosphate-extractable SO42- (PSO4) in the E horizon, from 2 mg S·kg-1 soil in pre-harvest to 9 and 10 mg S·kg-1 soil 3 and 8 years post-harvest, respectively. Harvesting increased PSO4 in the Bh horizon from 11 mg S·kg-1 soil prior to harvesting to 20 and 25 mg S·kg-1 soil 3 and 8 years after harvesting, respectively. Temporal patterns in soil chemistry were also reflected in stream SO42-, NO3-, and H+ concentrations. Eight years after harvesting, PSO4 concentrations in the mineral soil increased with elevation. This elevational pattern was likely due to the higher concentrations of SO42- and H+ in soil solutions that enhanced SO42- adsorption at the higher elevations. The high H+ concentrations were attributed to enhanced nitrification and differences in vegetation at upper elevations. The importance of these factors were discussed with respect to the effects of forest harvesting and changes in atmospheric S deposition.

Potential impact of forest harvesting on lake chemistry in south-central Ontario at current levels of acid deposition

2003 ◽  
Vol 60 (9) ◽  
pp. 1095-1103 ◽  
Author(s):  
S A Watmough ◽  
J Aherne ◽  
P J Dillon
Keyword(s):  
Critical Load ◽  
Base Cation ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Lake Chemistry ◽  
South Central ◽  
Sulphate Deposition ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
Whole Tree Harvesting ◽  
Whole Tree ◽  
Tree Harvesting

The potential impact of harvesting on lake chemistry was assessed for ~1300 lakes in south-central Ontario using a critical loads approach based on the steady-state water chemistry (SSWC) model. The critical load of acidity is currently only exceeded by bulk sulphate deposition in 9% of the lakes if harvesting does not occur. However, the percentage increases to 23%, 56%, and 72% under potential harvesting scenarios that assume wood-only (stem without bark), stem-only, or whole-tree harvesting, respectively. This increase in exceedance of critical load is due to the much lower base cation concentrations in lakes resulting from base cation removals during harvest. For example, only 0.3% of lakes will have Ca2+ concentrations <50 μequiv.·L–1 if harvesting does not occur, whereas 52% of lakes will have Ca2+ concentrations <50 μequiv.·L–1 if whole-tree harvesting occurs. Harvesting clearly has an enormous potential impact on lake chemistry, which will become more apparent as exchangeable base cation pools in soil decline and acid inputs can no longer be buffered.

scholarly journals Analysis of a feller-buncher productivity: a case study of whole-tree harvesting from Marmara region, Turkey

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-110
Author(s):  
Neşe Gülci ◽  
Kıvanç Yüksel ◽  
Sercan Gülci ◽  
Hasan Serin ◽  
Ebru Bilici ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Diameter ◽  
Tree Height ◽  
Forest Products ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Marmara Region ◽  
Harvesting Systems ◽  
Whole Tree Harvesting ◽  
Whole Tree ◽  
Diameter Classes ◽  
Tree Harvesting

In fully mechanized forest harvesting systems, tree felling activities are mostly performed by using harvesters or feller-bunchers. In some regions of Turkey, where terrain conditions and stand characteristics are suitable, fully mechanized harvesting systems have been recently practiced by some of the logging contractors as private forest industry demands for large amounts of forest products throughout the year. Thus, performances of these newly practiced harvesting systems should be carefully analyzed in order to implement productive and cost-effective mechanized harvesting systems. In this study, productivity of whole-tree harvesting using a feller-buncher was investigated based on stand parameters including tree height, DBH, and volume. The DBH of the felled trees were divided into four classes (i.e. very small: 16-19 cm, small: 20-23 cm, medium: 24-27 cm and large: 28-31 cm) to investigate the effects of various DBH class on the time consumption of cutting stage and productivity of the feller-buncher. To estimate productivity of feller-buncher in harvesting operation, multiple linear and polynomial regressions were also developed and discussed after the interpretation of diagnostic plots. The results indicated that the average productivity of the feller-buncher was 74.96 m3 /h which was closely related with tree height (r = 0.63), DBH (r = 0.67), and volume (r = 0.67). The average moving time was the most time-consuming stage (60%), followed by cutting (29%) and bunching stages (11%). It was found that DBH classes caused statistically significant (p < 0.05) effects on the time spent on cutting stage and productivity of the feller-buncher. The cutting time and productivity increased from very small to large diameter classes, while bunching time increased from very small to small diameter and then medium diameter to large diameter classes. Polynomial regression had a positive impact on the performance of the estimation model of manually field-measured data based on the error parameters.

Ants accelerate litter decomposition in a Costa Rican lowland tropical rain forest

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 437-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terrence P. McGlynn ◽  
Evan K. Poirson
Keyword(s):  
Mass Loss ◽  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Litter Decomposition ◽  
Rain Forest ◽  
Costa Rican ◽  
Tropical Rain Forests ◽  
Rain Forests ◽  
Food Web Structure ◽  
Litter Bags ◽  
Lowland Rain Forest

Abstract:The decomposition of leaf litter is governed, in part, by litter invertebrates. In tropical rain forests, ants are dominant predators in the leaf litter and may alter litter decomposition through the action of a top-down control of food web structure. The role of ants in litter decomposition was investigated in a Costa Rican lowland rain forest with two experiments. In a mesocosm experiment, we manipulated ant presence in 50 ambient leaf-litter mesocosms. In a litterbag gradient experiment, Cecropia obtusifolia litter was used to measure decomposition rate constants across gradients in nutrients, ant density and richness, with 27 separate litterbag treatments for total arthropod exclusion or partial arthropod exclusion. After 2 mo, mass loss in mesocosms containing ants was 30.9%, significantly greater than the 23.5% mass loss in mesocosms without ants. In the litter bags with all arthropods excluded, decomposition was best accounted by the carbon: phosphorus content of soil (r2 = 0.41). In litter bags permitting smaller arthropods but excluding ants, decomposition was best explained by the local biomass of ants in the vicinity of the litter bags (r2 = 0.50). Once the microarthropod prey of ants are permitted to enter litterbags, the biomass of ants near the litterbags overtakes soil chemistry as the regulator of decomposition. In concert, these results support a working hypothesis that litter-dwelling ants are responsible for accelerating litter decomposition in lowland tropical rain forests.

scholarly journals Imitated Whole Tree Harvesting Show Negligible Effect on Economic Value of Spruce Stands

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 841
Author(s):  
Iveta Desaine ◽  
Annija Kārkliņa ◽  
Roberts Matisons ◽  
Anna Pastare ◽  
Andis Adamovičs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Spruce Stands ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Growing Conditions ◽  
Whole Tree Harvesting ◽  
Whole Tree ◽  
Tree Harvesting

The increased removal of forest-derived biomass with whole-tree harvesting (WTH) has raised concerns about the long-term productivity and sustainability of forest ecosystems. If true, this effect needs to be factored in the assessment of long-term feasibility to implement such a drastic forest management measure. Therefore, the economic performance of five experimental plantations in three different forest types, where in 1971 simulated WTH event occurred, was compared with pure, planted and conventionally managed (CH) Norway spruce stands of similar age and growing conditions. Potential incomes of CH and WTH stands were based on timber prices for period 2014–2020. However, regarding the economics of root and stump biomass utilization, they were not included in the estimates. In any given price level, the difference of internal rate of return between the forest types and selected managements were from 2.5% to 6.2%. Therefore, Norway spruce stands demonstrate good potential of independence regardless of stump removal at the previous rotation.

scholarly journals Post-fire consequences for leaf breakdown in a tropical stream

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renan de Souza Rezende ◽  
Cristiano Queiroz de Albuquerque ◽  
Andrezza Sayuri Victoriano Hirota ◽  
Paulo Fernandes Roges Souza Silva ◽  
Ricardo Keichi Umetsu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Fungal Biomass ◽  
Mesh Size ◽  
Fire Effects ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Tropical Stream ◽  
Fire Event ◽  
Litter Bags ◽  
Fine Mesh ◽  
Post Fire Effects

Abstract Aim Wildfire is a natural pulsed disturbance in landscapes of the Savannah Biome. This study evaluates short-term post-fire effects on leaf litter breakdown, the invertebrate community and fungal biomass of litter from three different vegetal species in a tropical stream. Methods Senescent leaves of Inga laurina, Protium spruceanum and Rircheria grandis (2 ± 0.1 g dry mass) were individually placed in litter bags (30 × 30 cm: 10 mm coarse mesh and 0.5 mm fine mesh) and submerged in the study stream before and after fire. Replicate bags (n = 4; individually for each species, sampling time, fire event and mesh size) were then retrieved after 20 and 40 days and washed to separate the invertebrates before fire event and again immediately after fire. Disks were cut from leaves to determine ash-free dry mass, while the remaining material was oven-dried to determine dry mass. Results The pre-fire mean decomposition coefficient (k = -0.012 day-1) was intermediate compared to that reported for other savannah streams, but post-fire it was lower (k = -0.007 day-1), due to decreased allochthonous litter input and increased autochthones production. Intermediate k values for all qualities of litter post-fire may indicate that fire is equalizing litter quality in the stream ecosystem. The abundance of scrapers was found to be more important than fungal biomass or shredder abundance, probably due to their functioning in leaf fragmentation while consuming periphyton growing on leaf litter. Conclusions Theses results indicate that fire can modify the relationships within decomposer communities in tropical stream ecosystems.

Whole-tree Harvesting Depletes Soil Nutrients

1974 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 530-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edwin H. White
Keyword(s):  
Soil Nutrients ◽  
Nutrient Removal ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
Site Conditions ◽  
Nutrient Pool ◽  
Whole Tree Harvesting ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Whole Tree ◽  
Tree Harvesting

This paper reports the effects of whole-tree harvesting of eight cottonwood stands on the soil nutrient pool. The data indicate possible site degradation by depletion of soil reserves of N, P, and K but not Ca and Mg on a range of alluvial site conditions in Alabama. Foresters must establish the rate of nutrient removal in intensive tree cropping systems for a variety of species and sites and develop prescriptions to minimize the impact.

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