Soil compaction induced by careful logging in the claybelt region of northwestern Quebec (Canada)

1998 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 197-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Brais ◽  
C. Camiré
Keyword(s):  
Key Words ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Strength ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Site Productivity ◽  
Wheel Track

Soil compaction induced by forest harvesting operations can reduce site productivity. Intensity, extent and persistence of soil compaction were assessed on fine- to medium- and coarse-textured soils. Severe compaction took place in the wheel track section of the skid trails. On fine- to medium-textured soils, half of the effects on the 0- to 10-cm and 10- to 20-cm mineral soil bulk densities (+11 and +8%) and half of the changes in the 10-cm depth soil strength (+69%) occurred in the course of the first two skidding cycles (cycle of half impact). On coarse soils, half of the effect on the 0- to 10-cm bulk density (+11%) occurred during the first three passes. Cycles of half impact for soil strength were 9, 14, 7 and 6 for the 2.5-, 5-, 10-, and 20-cm depths and corresponded to increases of 235, 402, 157 and 103% respectively. Compaction was more limited between track sections of trails. Six to twelve years following clearcutting on fine- to medium-textured soils, 0- to 10-cm soil bulk density was less in the skid trails than on the undisturbed sections of cutovers. Careful logging on moist, fine- to medium-textured soils is the safest way to limit the extent of soil compaction. On coarse-textured soils, spreading the traffic remains a valid option. Key words: Soil compaction, bulk density, soil strength, forest harvesting, careful logging

Forest Soil Compaction: Effect of Multiple Passes and Loadings on Wheel Track Surface Soil Bulk Density

1988 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen G. Shetron ◽  
John A. Sturos ◽  
Eunice Padley ◽  
Carl Trettin
Keyword(s):  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Surface Soil ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Northern Red Oak ◽  
Wheel Drive ◽  
Density Values ◽  
Track Surface ◽  
Four Wheel Drive ◽  
Wheel Track

Abstract The change in wheel track surface soil bulk densities was determined after a mechanized thinning in a northern red oak stand. Mean bulk density values of the 0 to 5 cm surface of the wheel tracks immediately after felling, bunching, and skidding were: 0.80 g/cc on the high use areas; 0.77 g/cc on the low use areas; and 0.42 g/cc in the undisturbed areas. No significant differences in surface soil bulk densities were found between several loading treatments using a four-wheel drive articulated forwarder. The data indicate that initial passes of the equipment produce most of the disturbance. No significant recovery in wheel track soil bulk densities occurred during the year following harvest regardless of treatment. North. J. Appl. For. 5:120-123, June 1988.

scholarly journals Aspen and white spruce productivity is reduced by organic matter removal and soil compaction

2012 ◽  
Vol 88 (03) ◽  
pp. 306-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Kabzems
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Organic Matter Removal

Declines in forest productivity have been linked to losses of organic matter and soil porosity. To assess how removal of organic matter and soil compaction affect short-term ecosystem dynamics, pre-treatment and year 1, 5 and 10 post-treatment soil properties and post-treatment plant community responses were examined in a boreal trembling aspen (Populus tremuloidesMichx.)-dominated ecosystem in northeastern British Columbia. The experiment used a completely randomized design with three levels of organic matter removal (tree stems only; stems and slash; stems, slash and forest floor) and three levels of soil compaction (none, intermediate [2-cm impression], heavy [5-cm impression]). Removal of the forest floor initially stimulated aspen regeneration and significantly reduced height growth of aspen (198 cm compared to 472–480 cm) as well as white spruce (Picea glauca [Moench] Voss) height (82 cm compared to 154–156 cm). The compaction treatments had no effect on aspen regeneration density. At Year 10, heights of both aspen and white spruce were negatively correlated with upper mineral soil bulk density and were lowest on forest floor + whole tree removal treatments. Recovery of soil properties was occurring in the 0 cm to 2 cm layer of mineral soil. Bulk density values for the 0 cm to 10 cm depth remained above 86% of the maximum bulk density for the site, a soil condition where reduced tree growth can be expected.

Effect of combined soil water and external load on soil compaction

Soil Research ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 135 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Hamza ◽  
S. S. Al-Adawi ◽  
K. A. Al-Hinai
Keyword(s):  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
External Load ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Strength ◽  
Water Infiltration ◽  
Soil Water Infiltration

Reducing soil compaction is now an important issue in agriculture due to intensive use of farm machinery in different farm operations. This experiment was designed to study the influence of combinations of external load and soil water on soil compaction. Four soil water levels were combined with four external loads as follows: soil water—air-dry, 50% of field capacity, field capacity, and saturation; external load using different-sized tractors—no load (0 kg), small tractor (2638 kg), medium tractor (3912 kg), and large tractor (6964 kg). Soil bulk density, soil strength, and soil water infiltration rate were measured at 0–100, 100–200, and 200–300 mm soil depths. The 16 treatments were set up in a randomised block design with three replications. Combined increases in soil water and external load increased soil compaction, as indicated by increasing soil bulk density and soil strength and decreasing soil water infiltration rate. There was no significant interaction between soil water and external load for bulk density at all soil depths, but the interaction was significant for soil strength and infiltration rates at all soil depths. The ratio between the weight of the external load and the surface area of contact between the external load and the ground was important in determining the degree of surface soil compaction. Least compaction was produced by the medium tractor because it had the highest tyre/ground surface area contact. In general, the effects of soil water and external load on increasing soil bulk density and soil strength were greater in the topsoil than the subsoil.

Impacts of harvesting and postharvest treatments on soil bulk density, soil strength, and early growth of Pinus taeda in the Gulf Coastal Plain: a Long-Term Soil Productivity affiliated study

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 601-614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mason C Carter ◽  
Thomas J Dean ◽  
Ziyin Wang ◽  
Ray A Newbold
Keyword(s):  
Bulk Density ◽  
Pinus Taeda ◽  
Weed Control ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Strength ◽  
Gulf Coastal Plain ◽  
The Impact

At four sites in the Gulf Coastal Plain, mechanical whole-tree harvesting (MWT) removed more biomass and nutrients than hand-fell bole-only harvesting (HFBO). Soil compaction and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) regeneration growth varied among sites. At one location, MWT increased soil bulk density by 0.1 Mg·m–3, from 1.14 to 1.24 Mg·m–3, with no effect on tree growth. At a second location, where bulk density increased by 0.1 Mg·m–3, from 1.41 to 1.51 Mg·m–3, pine growth was reduced significantly. Soil strength at 15–20 cm depth increased by 0.3–0.5 MPa at both locations. However, where MWT reduced pine growth, herbaceous weed control mitigated the effect. Fertilization with N and P, where P was limiting, increased pine growth irrespective of other treatments. Where P was not limiting, addition of a complete fertilizer reduced the mitigating effect of weed control. Bedding reduced soil compaction without improving early tree growth; however, bedding was not tested on the two sites where soil compaction appeared to be at critical levels. Broadcast burning increased survival but reduced pine growth irrespective of harvesting method. Our results suggest that the impact of intensive management on site productivity varies among sites, is potentially accumulative, and is subject to change over time.

scholarly journals Soil compaction caused by 450C Timber Jack wheeled skidder (Shefarood forest, northern Iran)

2008 ◽  
Vol 53 (No. 7) ◽  
pp. 314-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Naghdi ◽  
I. Bagheri ◽  
M. Akef ◽  
A. Mahdavi
Keyword(s):  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Control Area ◽  
Vegetative Cover ◽  
Northern Iran ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Number Of Passes

In forest harvesting operations usually after using skidding machinery (skidders), traces of soil damage in the form of soil compaction and wheel and logs ruts can be seen in the forest soil. Soil bulk density, which represents soil compaction, decreases soil porosity, infiltration rate and aeration and these in turn increase runoff and water erosion in the harvested area. On the other hand, a decrease in soil aeration prevents root growth and decreases the vegetative cover. In this study the changes in soil bulk density and relative soil compaction due to a different number of wheeled skidder passes from stump to landing for two soil types (clay soil with high and low liquid limits, CH, CL) are analyzed. The results showed that the effect of skidder traffic on an increase in soil bulk density at sample locations was significant (α = 0.05). The range of soil bulk density increases in sample pits due to a different number of machinery passes was from 15.8% to 62.6% compared to the control area. The findings of this research showed that the interaction effect of skidder traffic and soil type on soil bulk density changes was not significant. Also the highest significant increase in soil bulk density occurred at the first 11 passes in skidding trails and from this number of passes onwards there was no significant difference in the soil bulk density increase in sample locations.

RELATIONS ENTRE LA TENEUR EN MATIÈRE ORGANIQUE ET LA MASSE VOLUMIQUE APPARENTE DU SOL

1986 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 743-746 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. ANGERS ◽  
R. R. SIMARD
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Soil Organic Matter Content ◽  
Masse Volumique

As a part of a study on soil compaction, measurements of soil bulk density were taken three times during the season at five sites and three depths. Strong negative correlations were obtained between soil organic matter content and (1) soil bulk density and, (2) the increase in bulk density during the season. Key words: Bulk density, compaction, organic matter

Evaluation of planting sites common to a southeast Alaska clear-cut. II. Available inoculum of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Cenococcumgeophilum

1983 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles G. Shaw III ◽  
Roy C. Sidle
Keyword(s):  
Bulk Density ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Ectomycorrhizal Fungus ◽  
Southeast Alaska ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Rotten Wood ◽  
Mycorrhizal Propagules ◽  
Soil Volume ◽  
High Lead

Three microsites common to clear-cuts logged by the high-lead method in southeast Alaska were sampled to quantify the occurrence and viability of sclerotia of Cenococcumgeophilum Fr. Undisturbed duff had significantly greater numbers of sclerotia per gram or per cubic centimetre of soil than either exposed mineral soil or rotten wood. There were significantly fewer viable sclerotia per cubic centimetre of rotten wood than in either exposed mineral soil or undisturbed duff. Numbers of viable sclerotia that could contact the root plug of a containerized seedling when it was planted into rotten wood, exposed mineral soil, or undisturbed duff were calculated to be 0.7, 6.1, and 7.2, respectively. Expressing abundance of mycorrhizal propagules by soil volume, rather than weight, is more meaningful when microsites with large differences in soil bulk density are compared.

Soil compaction under varying rest periods and levels of mechanical disturbance in a rotational grazing system

2011 ◽  
Vol 91 (6) ◽  
pp. 957-964 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Halde ◽  
A. M. Hammermeister ◽  
N. L. Mclean ◽  
K. T. Webb ◽  
R. C. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Penetration Resistance ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Intensive Treatment ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Soil Penetration Resistance ◽  
Rest Periods ◽  
Grazing System

Halde, C., Hammermeister, A. M., McLean, N. L., Webb, K. T. and Martin, R. C. 2011. Soil compaction under varying rest periods and levels of mechanical disturbance in a rotational grazing system. Can. J. Soil Sci. 91: 957–964. In Atlantic Canada, data are limited regarding the effect of grazing systems on soil compaction. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of intensive and extensive rotational pasture management treatments on soil bulk density, soil penetration resistance, forage productivity and litter accumulation. The study was conducted on a fine sandy loam pasture in Truro, Nova Scotia. Each of the eight paddocks was divided into three rotational pasture management treatments: intensive, semi-intensive and extensive. Mowing and clipping were more frequent in the intensive than in the semi-intensive treatment. In the extensive treatment, by virtue of grazing in alternate rotations, the rest period was doubled than that of the intensive and semi-intensive treatments. Both soil bulk density (0–5 cm) and penetration resistance (0–25.5 cm) were significantly higher in the intensive treatment than in the extensive treatment, for all seasons. Over winter, bulk density decreased significantly by 6.8 and 3.8% at 0–5 and 5–10 cm, respectively. A decrease ranging between 40.5 and 4.0% was observed for soil penetration resistance over winter, at 0–1.5 cm and 24.0–25.5 cm, respectively. The intensive and semi-intensive treatments produced significantly more available forage for grazers annually than the extensive treatment. Forage yields in late May to early June were negatively correlated with spring bulk density.

scholarly journals A Comparison of Soil Compaction Associated with Four Ground-Based Harvesting Systems

2011 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 194-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oscar Bustos ◽  
Andrew Egan
Keyword(s):  
Bulk Density ◽  
Forest Soils ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Group Selection ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Productivity ◽  
Equipment Selection ◽  
Farm Tractor ◽  
Harvesting Systems

Abstract A study of soil compaction associated with four harvesting systems—a forwarder working with a mechanized harvester and a rubber-tired cable skidder, a farm tractor, and a bulldozer, each of them coupled with a chainsaw felling—was conducted in a group selection harvest of a mixed hardwood stand in Maine. The bulldozer system was associated with the highest percentage differences in soil bulk density measured in machine tracks (16.9%), trail centerlines (15.7%), and harvested group selection units (13.1%) versus adjacent untrafficked areas, whereas the forwarder system was associated with the lowest percentage differences in soil bulk density measured in machine tracks (3.5%), trail centerlines (1.2%), and harvested group selection units (6.3%) versus adjacent untrafficked areas. Results will help to inform loggers and foresters on equipment selection, harvest planning, and the conservation of forest soils and soil productivity.

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