Effect of Deer Browsing and Clear-Cutting of Trees on Soil Erosion in a Forest Ecosystem in Japan

2021 ◽  
pp. 271-285
Author(s):  
Nanami Murashita ◽  
Atsushi Nakao ◽  
Keiko Nagashima ◽  
Junta Yanai
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Forest Ecosystem ◽  
Deer Browsing ◽  
Clear Cutting

scholarly journals Patterns of Carbon Sequestration in a Young Forest Ecosystem after Clear-Cutting

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sille Rebane ◽  
Kalev Jõgiste ◽  
Andres Kiviste ◽  
John A. Stanturf ◽  
Marek Metslaid
Keyword(s):  
Forest Ecosystem ◽  
Net Ecosystem Exchange ◽  
Co2 Concentration ◽  
Co2 Exchange ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
Young Stand ◽  
Young Forest ◽  
Measurement Period

A large area of Estonian hemiboreal forest is recovering from clear-cut harvesting and changing carbon (C) balance of the stands. However, there is a lack of information about C- source/sink relationships during recovery of such stands. The eddy covariance technique was used to estimate C-status through net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of CO2 in two stands of different development stages located in southeast Estonia in 2014. Measured summertime (June–September) mean CO2 concentration was 337.75 ppm with mean NEE −1.72 µmol m−2 s−1. June NEE was −4.60 µmol m−2 s−1; July, August, and September NEE was −1.17, −0.77, and −0.25 µmol m−2 s−1, respectively. The two stands had similar patterns of CO2 exchange; measurement period temperature drove NEE. Our results show that after clear-cutting a 6-year-old forest ecosystem was a light C-sink and 8-year-old young stand demonstrated a stronger C-sink status during the measurement period.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Forest Conversion Effects on Soil Erosion, Soil Organic Carbon and Total Nitrogen Based on 137Cs Tracer Technique

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 433 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi Zhu ◽  
Jie Lin ◽  
Qiao Dai ◽  
Yanying Xu ◽  
Haidong Li
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Nutrient Loss ◽  
Vegetation Coverage ◽  
Forest Conversion ◽  
Tracer Technique ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
Average Annual Loss

Soil erosion can affect the horizontal and the vertical distribution of soil carbon at the landscape scale. The 137Cs tracer technique can overcome the shortcomings of traditional erosion research and has proven to be the best method to study soil erosion. To understand the responses of soil organic carbon and nitrogen to soil erosion and forest conversion in the development of slope economic forests in rocky mountain areas, three representative types of economic forests that were all formed after clear-cutting and afforestation on the basis of CBF (coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forests) were selected: CF (chestnut forests) with small human disturbance intensity, AF (apple forests), and HF (hawthorn forests) with high interference intensity. The results showed that all land use types have significantly eroded since 1950; the average annual loss of soil was 0.79 mm in the CBF, 2.31 mm in the AF, 1.84 mm in the HF, and 0.87 mm in the CF. The results indicated aggravation of soil erosion after the transformation of the CBF into an economic forest. The economic forest management reduced the average carbon storage and accelerated nutrient loss. The better vegetation coverage and litter coverage of CF made them stand out among the three economic forest varieties. Therefore, when developing economic forests, we should select species that can produce litter to ensure as much soil conservation as possible to reduce the risk of soil erosion.

scholarly journals Modeling Runoff-Formation and Soil Erosion after Pumice Excavation at Forested Andosol-Sites in SW-Germany Using WEPP

Soil Systems ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian J. Zemke ◽  
Joshua Pöhler ◽  
Stephan Stegmann
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Annual Runoff ◽  
Runoff Generation ◽  
Runoff Formation ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Erosion Prediction

This study investigates the effects of pumice excavation on runoff formation and soil erosion processes in a forested catchment in SW-Germany. The underlying questions are, if (a) backfilled soils have different properties concerning runoff generation and erodibility and if (b) clear-cutting prior to excavation triggers runoff and erosion. Four adjacent sub-areas were observed, which represented different pre- and post-excavation-stages. The basis of the investigation was a comprehensive field sampling that delivered the data for physical erosion modeling using the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP). Modeling took place for standardized conditions (uniform slope geometry and/or uniform land management) and for actual slope geometry and land management. The results show that backfilled soils exhibited 53% increase of annual runoff and 70% increase of annual soil loss under standardized conditions. Storm runoff was increased by 6%, while storm soil loss was reduced by 9%. Land management changes also triggered shifts in annual runoff and soil erosion: Clear-cut (+1.796% runoff, +4.205% soil loss) and bare (+5.958% runoff, +21.055% soil loss) surfaces showed the most distinct changes when compared to undisturbed forest. While reforestation largely diminished post-excavation runoff and soil erosion, the standardized results statistically prove that soil erodibility and runoff generation remain increased after backfilling.

scholarly journals Bryophyte-dominated biological soil crusts mitigate soil erosion in an early successional Chinese subtropical forest

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steffen Seitz ◽  
Martin Nebel ◽  
Philipp Goebes ◽  
Kathrin Käppeler ◽  
Karsten Schmidt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Forest Ecosystem ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Biological Soil Crust ◽  
Subtropical Forest ◽  
Tree Canopy ◽  
Sediment Discharge ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Terrain Attributes ◽  
Erosion Processes

Abstract. This study investigated the development of biological soil crust (biocrust) covers in an early successional subtropical forest ecosystem and their impact on soil erosion. Within a biodiversity and ecosystem functioning experiment in Southeast China (BEF China), sediment discharge and runoff measurements were conducted with micro-scale runoff plots under natural rainfall and biocrust covers were surveyed over a five-year period. Results showed that biocrusts occurred widely in our experimental forest ecosystem and developed from initial light cyanobacteria- and algae-dominated crusts to later-stage bryophyte-dominated crusts in only three years. Biocrust covers were still increasing after six years of tree growth. Within later stage crusts, 25 bryophyte species were determined. The development of biocrusts was significantly influenced by the surrounding vegetation cover and terrain attributes. Besides high crown cover and leaf area index, the development of biocrusts was favoured by low slope gradients, slope orientations towards the incident sunlight and the altitude of the research plots. Our measurements showed, that bryophyte-dominated biocrusts were importantly decreasing soil erosion and more effective in erosion reduction than abiotic soil surface covers. Hence, their significant role to mitigate sediment discharge and runoff generation in mesic forest environments and their ability to quickly colonize gaps in higher vegetation layers are of particular interest for soil erosion control in early stage forest plantations. A detailed record of different biocrust species and their functional influence on soil erosion processes as well as a thorough monitoring of biocrust covers under closing tree canopy in subtropical forests is required in further studies.

scholarly journals Reforestation following harvesting of conifer plantations in Japan: Current issues from silvicultural and ecological perspectives

REFORESTA ◽  
2017 ◽  
pp. 125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Masaki ◽  
Michio Oguro ◽  
Naoko Yamashita ◽  
Tatsuya Otani ◽  
Hajime Utsugi
Keyword(s):  
Sika Deer ◽  
Lower Cost ◽  
Cervus Nippon ◽  
Deer Browsing ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
Production Techniques ◽  
Silvicultural System ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Second World

Following the Second World War, the number of Cupressaceae plantations in Japan increased, in accordance with government policy for the restoration of timber resources and conservation of soil and water. Currently, these even-aged plantations occupy approximately 44% of the forested area and 24% of the national land area of Japan. Although many of these plantations have become available as timber resources, there are several silviculture-related problems associated with reforestation following clear-cutting of these plantations. The abundant annual precipitation in Japan allows for dominance by competitive vegetation, which makes natural regeneration difficult and increases the cost of silvicultural operations during and after the planting of seedlings. Because the number of seedling producers has decreased, there has been little incentive to keep seedling production techniques up to date. Additionally, damage to planted seedlings by the overabundant sika deer (Cervus nippon) population has increased dramatically in the last dozen years or so. To determine how to overcome these difficulties, various studies are underway in Japan. For example, seedling studies have examined the relationship between seedling size and competitive ability with other species in reforested areas, and have led to the development of lower-cost systems to produce customized Cupressaceae seedlings, as well as measures to minimize transplanting damage to seedlings. Previous studies have shown that no-weeding operations might lower the risk of sika deer browsing seedlings, although this silvicultural countermeasure may potentially reduce seedling growth. Studies have also examined the types of physical protection against sika deer browsing that are most efficient. We must combine these findings into a unified silvicultural system for successful restoration via lower-cost plantations.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document