Short-term effects of selection and clear cutting on the shrub and herb layer vegetation during the conversion of even-aged Norway spruce stands into mixed stands

The cutting of trees influences element turnover in the forest ecosystem. The reduction of plant uptake, as well as an increased mineralization and nitrification due to higher soil temperature and soil moisture, can lead to considerable losses of nutrients from the main rooting zone. This may result in a reduced soil fertility and a decrease in drinking water quality due to high nitrate concentrations in the seepage water. In Bavaria (Germany) selective cutting is preferred to clear cutting when initiating the regeneration of Norway spruce stands with European beech. This paper summarizes the early effects of both forest management practices on soil fertility and seepage water quality for three different sites. Shown are the concentrations of nitrogen and base cations in the seepage water as well as the water and ion fluxes during the first year after tree cut. Nutrient inputs decreased on thinned plots and even more at clear-cuts. Nitrate concentrations in the seepage water are hardly affected by moderate thinning; however, on clear-cuts, the nitrate concentration increases significantly, and base cations are lost from the upper mineral soil. This effect is less obvious at sites where a dense ground vegetation, which is able to take up excess nitrogen, exists.

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

Biogeosciences ◽

10.5194/bg-11-6095-2014 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 11 (21) ◽

pp. 6095-6105 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

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.

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Short-term Effects of Clear-cutting on the Water Chemistry of Two Boreal Streams in Northern Sweden: A Paired Catchment Study

AMBIO ◽

10.1579/0044-7447-38.7.347 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 38 (7) ◽

pp. 347-356 ◽

Cited By ~ 61

Author(s):

Stefan Löfgren ◽

Eva Ring ◽

Claudia von Brömssen ◽

Rasmus Sørensen ◽

Lars Högbom

Keyword(s):

Water Chemistry ◽

Northern Sweden ◽

Short Term ◽

Clear Cutting ◽

Boreal Streams ◽

Paired Catchment ◽

Short Term Effects

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Short-term effects of clear-cutting on the biomass and richness of epiphytic bryophytes in managed subtropical cloud forests

Annals of Forest Science ◽

10.1051/forest/2009042 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 66 (6) ◽

pp. 609-609 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Jairo Patiño ◽

Juana M. González-Mancebo ◽

José M. Fernández-Palacios ◽

José R. Arévalo ◽

Alfredo Bermúdez

Keyword(s):

Short Term ◽

Cloud Forests ◽

Clear Cutting ◽

Short Term Effects

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Spruce monocultures of the Drahanská vrchovina Upland (Czech Republic) as the biotope of small terrestrial mammals (Rodentia, Soricomorpha)

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis ◽

10.11118/actaun201058020185 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 58 (2) ◽

pp. 185-194 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Josef Suchomel ◽

Luboš Purchart ◽

Jakub Urban

Keyword(s):

Diversity Index ◽

Abies Alba ◽

Community Diversity ◽

Myodes Glareolus ◽

Herb Layer ◽

Apodemus Flavicollis ◽

Mixed Stands ◽

Terrestrial Mammals ◽

Beech Stand ◽

Spruce Stands

The community of small terrestrial mammals of spruce monocultures of the Drahanská vrchovina Upland was studied on small experimental plots, namely in spruce plantations aged 30 and 105 years and on comparative plots in a 40-year beech stand and in a 125-year mixed stand occurring apart in the middle of spruce stands. In total, 128 small mammals of five species were trapped in the period 2006–2008. There were the marked dominance and abundance of Apodemus flavicollis at all plots (D = 67.7–82.1%; rA = 1.0–1.6) with the exception of a young spruce stand where Myodes glareolus (D = 57.5%; rA = 1.28) dominated. The community diversity was low (H' = 0.6–1.0) and rather balanced E = 0.51–0.89) showing the highest diversity index in a mature spruce monoculture, which, through its age (105 years), made possible the occurrence of a herb layer. With plantings of Abies alba and Fagus sylvatica (age 8 years), it provided the highest diversity of sites. The mixed and beech stands showed the lowest diversity (H' = 0.6–0.8), which was also affected by the extreme dominance of Apodemus flavicollis (73–82%). These biotopes represented optimum sites for this mouse. Differences in diversity, equitability and relative abundance between particular species and sites were not significant (p > 0.05). In general, the studied spruce stands appear to be little suitable sites for small terrestrial mammals. The local broadleaved and mixed stands established within the spruce monoculture transformation to close-to nature forests enable only increasing the dominance of adaptable species living in neighbouring spruce stands.

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