Critical biomass harvesting indicator for whole-tree extraction does not reflect the sensitivity of Swedish forest soils

Cable yarding is a well establish technology for the extraction of timber in steep terrain. However, it is encumbered with relatively low productivity and high costs, and as such this technology needs to adapt and progress to remain viable. The development of biomass as a valuable byproduct, and the availability of processors to support yarder operations, lend themselves to increasing the level of whole-tree extraction. Double-hitch carriages have been developed to allow for full suspension of whole-tree and tree-length material. This study compared a standard single-hitch to a double-hitch carriage under controlled conditions, namely in the same location using the same yarder with downhill extraction. As expected, the double-hitch carriage took longer to load up (+14%), but was able to achieve similar productivity (10–11 m3 per productive machine hour) through increased inhaul speed (+15%). The importance of this study is that it demonstrates both the physical and economic feasibility of moving to whole-tree extraction using the double-hitch type carriage for longer corridors, for settings with limited deflection, or areas with lower tolerance for soil disturbance.

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Critical biomass harvesting – Applying a new concept for Swedish forest soils

Forest Ecology and Management ◽

10.1016/j.foreco.2017.11.020 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 409 ◽

pp. 67-73 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Cecilia Akselsson ◽

Salim Belyazid

Keyword(s):

Forest Soils ◽

Biomass Harvesting

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Replacement of wildfire by whole-tree harvesting increases nitrification and nitrate movement in jack pine forest soils

Forest Ecology and Management ◽

10.1016/j.foreco.2017.07.030 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 402 ◽

pp. 115-121 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kenneth N. Fanelli ◽

David E. Rothstein

Keyword(s):

Forest Soils ◽

Jack Pine ◽

Pine Forest ◽

Whole Tree Harvesting ◽

Whole Tree ◽

Tree Harvesting

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Forest biomass accumulation is an important source of acidity to forest soils: Data from Swedish inventories of forests and soils 1955 to 2010

AMBIO ◽

10.1007/s13280-021-01540-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Erik Karltun ◽

Johan Stendahl ◽

Johan Iwald ◽

Stefan Löfgren

Keyword(s):

Atmospheric Deposition ◽

Forest Soils ◽

Forest Biomass ◽

Biomass Accumulation ◽

Net Uptake ◽

Minor Part ◽

Edaphic Properties ◽

Whole Tree Harvesting ◽

Whole Tree

AbstractThe input of acidity to Swedish forest soils through forestry between 1955 and 2010 is compared with the acid input from atmospheric deposition. Depending on region, input of acidity from forestry was the minor part (25–45%) of the study period’s accumulated acid input but is now the dominating source (140–270 molc ha−1 year−1). The net uptake of cations due to the increase in standing forest biomass, ranged between 35 and 45% of the forestry related input of acidity while whole-tree harvesting, introduced in the late 1990s, contributed only marginally (< 2%). The geographical gradient in acid input is reflected in the proportion of acidified soils in Sweden but edaphic properties contribute to variations in acidification sensitivity. It is important to consider the acid input due to increases in standing forest biomass in acidification assessments since it is long-term and quantitatively important.

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Assessing Biomass Removal and Woody Debris in Whole-Tree Harvesting System: Are the Recommended Levels of Residues Ensured?

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12060807 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 807

Author(s):

Abdelwahab Bessaad ◽

Isabelle Bilger ◽

Nathalie Korboulewsky

Keyword(s):

Coarse Woody Debris ◽

Woody Debris ◽

Forest Biomass ◽

Field Methods ◽

Biomass Harvesting ◽

Biomass Removal ◽

Technical Effort ◽

Whole Tree Harvesting ◽

Whole Tree ◽

Tree Harvesting

Forest biomass is a sustainable source of renewable energy and a valuable alternative to finite fossil fuels. However, its overharvesting may lead to soil nutrient depletion and threaten future stand productivity, as well as affect the habitat for biodiversity. This paper provides quantitative data on biomass removal, fine woody debris [d ≤ 7 cm], and coarse woody debris [d > 7 cm] left on the forest floor in whole tree harvesting systems. Using tree allometric equations and inventory field methods for woody debris estimation, we assessed biomass removal on nine fuelwood harvesting sites in Central France, as well as fine and coarse woody debris left on the sites. The aboveground biomass estimates showed a high variability between the studied sites, it varied between 118 and 519 Mg ha−1. However, less variability was found among sites managed as coppice-with-standards 174 ± 56 Mg ha−1. Exported biomass was 107 ± 42 Mg ha−1 on average, including 35 ± 9% of fine wood. The amounts of both fine and coarse woody debris left on sites were generally less than 10% of the total harvested biomass in 2/3 of the studied sites. These amounts are lower than the minimum retention levels recommended by the sustainable forest biomass harvesting guidelines. Therefore, more technical effort and additional management measures should be taken to ensure more woody debris, especially in poor forest soils and thus, to guarantee a sustainable biomass harvesting.

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Long-term effect of whole tree biomass harvesting on ground cover vegetation in a dry Scots pine stand

Silva Fennica ◽

10.14214/sf.1661 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 50 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Āris Jansons ◽

Linda Robalte ◽

Roberts Čakšs ◽

Roberts Matisons

Keyword(s):

Scots Pine ◽

Ground Cover ◽

Term Effect ◽

Tree Biomass ◽

Biomass Harvesting ◽

Long Term Effect ◽

Ground Cover Vegetation ◽

Whole Tree

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Molecular characterization of bacterial diversity from British Columbia forest soils subjected to disturbance

Canadian Journal of Microbiology ◽

10.1139/w02-059 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 48 (7) ◽

pp. 655-674 ◽

Cited By ~ 79

Author(s):

Paige E Axelrood ◽

Monica L Chow ◽

Christopher C Radomski ◽

Joseph M McDermott ◽

Julian Davies

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

16S Rrna ◽

16S Rrna Gene ◽

Forest Soils ◽

Soil Compaction ◽

Mineral Soil ◽

Soil Samples ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Whole Tree Harvesting ◽

Whole Tree

Bacteria from forest soils were characterized by DNA sequence analysis of cloned 16S rRNA gene fragments (16S clones). Surface organic matter and mineral soil samples from a British Columbia Ministry of Forests Long-Term Soil Productivity (LTSP) installation were collected during winter and summer from two disturbance treatments: whole-tree harvesting with no soil compaction (plot N) and whole-tree harvesting plus complete surface organic matter removal with heavy soil compaction (plot S). Phylogenetic analyses revealed that 87% of 580 16S clones were classified as Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacterium, Verrucomicrobia, Bacillus/Clostridium group, Cytophaga-Flexibacter-Bacteroides group, green nonsulfur bacteria, Planctomyces, and candidate divisions TM6 and OP10. Seventy-five 16S clones could not be classified into known bacterial divisions, and five 16S clones were related to chloroplast DNA. Members of Proteobacteria represented 46% of the clone library. A higher proportion of 16S clones affiliated with γ-Proteobacteria were from plot N compared with plot S. 16S rRNA gene fragments amplified with Pseudomonas-specific primers and cloned (Ps clones) were examined from mineral-soil samples from plots N and S from three LTSP installations. A significantly greater proportion of sequenced Ps clones from plot N contained Pseudomonas 16S rRNA gene fragments compared with Ps clones from plot S.Key words: bacterial diversity, 16S rRNA gene, forest soil.

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Weathering rates in Swedish forest soils

10.5194/bg-2019-1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Cecilia Akselsson ◽

Salim Belyazid ◽

Johan Stendahl ◽

Roger Finlay ◽

Bengt Olsson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Forest Soils ◽

National Level ◽

Base Cations ◽

Research Programme ◽

Sustainable Forestry ◽

Forest Fuels ◽

Weathering Rates ◽

Whole Tree Harvesting ◽

Whole Tree ◽

Tree Harvesting

Abstract. Soil and water acidification was first recognised as a severe environmental problem in the 1970s. The interest in establishing critical loads led to a peak in weathering research in the 1980s, since weathering is the long-term counterbalance to acidification pressure. Assessments of weathering rates and associated uncertainties have recently become an area of renewed research interest, this time due to demand for more harvest to provide renewable bioenergy. Increased demand for forest fuels increases the risk of depleting the soils of base cations produced in situ by weathering. This is the background to the research programme Quantifying Weathering Rates for Sustainable Forestry (QWARTS), which ran from 2012 to 2019. The programme involved research groups working at different scales, from lab experiments to extensive modelling. The aims of this paper are to summarise the state of knowledge about weathering rates in Swedish forest soils at different scales, with an emphasis on the knowledge added by the QWARTS programme, to discuss the uncertainties in relation to sustainable forestry, and to highlight knowledge gaps where further research is needed. The variation at single-site level was large, but most sites could be placed reliably in broader classes of weathering rates. At regional to national level, the results from the different approaches were in general agreement. Comparisons of base cation losses after stem-only and whole-tree harvesting showed sites with clear imbalances between weathering supply and harvest losses, and other sites where variation in weathering rates from different approaches obscured the overall balance. Clear imbalances appeared mainly after whole-tree harvesting in spruce forests in southern and central Sweden. Research findings in the QWARTS programme support the continued use of the PROFILE/ForSAFE family of models, but it is important to continue comparisons between these and other approaches. Uncertainties in the model approaches can be further reduced, mainly by finding ways to reduce uncertainties in input data on soil texture and associated hydrological parameters. Another way to reduce uncertainties is by developing the models to better represent the delivery of weathering products to runoff waters and biological feedbacks under the influence of climate change.

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Performance of a whole tree mechanised timber harvesting system when clear-felling a 32-year-old Pinus taeda L. stand

New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science ◽

10.33494/nzjfs512021x96x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

Author(s):

Natali De Oliveira Pitz ◽

Jean Alberto Sampietro ◽

Erasmo Luis Tonett ◽

Luis Henrique Ferrari ◽

Philipe Ricardo Casemiro Soares ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pinus Taeda ◽

Timber Harvesting ◽

Forest Harvesting ◽

Operational Performance ◽

Time And Motion ◽

Motion Study ◽

Harvesting Systems ◽

Pinus Taeda L ◽

Tree Extraction ◽

Whole Tree

Background: Work studies are fundamental for the development and assessment of timber harvesting systems aimed at rationalising and improving forest management activities. Methods: This study evaluated the operational performance of a mechanised whole-tree harvesting system in 32-year-old Pinus taeda L. stands producing multiple timber products. A time and motion study at the cycle element level was conducted to evaluate the operational performance of each component of the harvesting system. Equations were developed to estimate the productivity of tree extraction activity with a wheeled skidder and log loading with a mechanical loader. Results: Tree felling with an excavator-based harvester had the highest mean productivity (135 m3 per productive machine hour), followed by tree extraction with a wheeled skidder (117 m3 per productive machine hour), while manually processing larger logs with a chainsaw had the lowest productivity (25.7 m3 per productive machine hour). Operator, extraction distance and mean log volume had a significant effect on the performance of different activities and were included in productivity models. Conclusions: Operational performance of equipment was variable and dependent on the effect of the operator, extraction distance and log volume. Thus, the use of models to estimate productivity considering such factors, coupled with reduced delays to increase utilisation of equipment, will contribute to the better management and planning of forest harvesting operations under the evaluated conditions.

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