Long-term thinning effects on the forest floor and the foliar nutrient status of Norway spruce stands in the Belgian Ardennes

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 2684-2695 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathieu Jonard ◽  
Laurent Misson ◽  
Quentin Ponette
Keyword(s):  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
Acid Soils ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Nutrient Contents ◽  
Thinning Intensity ◽  
Foliar Nutrient ◽  
Long Term Impact

The long-term impact (30 years) of three contrasting thinning programs (unthinned, moderately thinned, and heavily thinned) on selected forest-floor properties and on the foliar nutrient status of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) stands (46, 50, and 67 years old) was evaluated at three sites on acid soils in the Belgian Ardennes. Sampling involved needles (current-year, 1-year-old, and recently fallen) and soil organic layers (OL, OF, OH, OA). For all samples, dry mass and element concentrations (C, N, P, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Mn, Al, Fe) were determined. Linear mixed models were used to analyze these data and showed that forest-floor mass was negatively affected by thinning (p = 0.0003) and that the N concentration in the forest floor increased with thinning intensity (p = 0.0008), while its Mn concentration decreased (p < 0.0001). The N, P, and K concentrations in the current-year needles were decreased by thinning (p < 0.05), while the Ca, Mg, and Na concentrations were not affected. We hypothesize that thinning negatively affected N, P, and K nutrition by removing the nutrients contained in the thinned trees and by decreasing the forest-floor thickness, thus reducing its nutrient contents and its ability to support root growth.

Effect of thinning on the foliar nutrient status of Scots pine stands on drained boreal peatlands

1996 ◽  
Vol 26 (9) ◽  
pp. 1577-1584 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannu Hökkä ◽  
Timo Penttilä ◽  
Björn Hånell
Keyword(s):  
Scots Pine ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Southern Sweden ◽  
Needle Size ◽  
Boreal Peatlands ◽  
Foliar Nutrient ◽  
Foliar Concentrations ◽  
Individual Trees

Foliar responses to thinning in midrotation stands of Scots pine (Pinussylvestris L.) were studied in six thinning experiments (0–50% of basal area removed) established on drained peatlands in northern Finland and southern Sweden. The trophic level of the sites varied from ombrotrophic to meso-eutrophic. Needle sampling and analyses were carried out on individual trees of dominant and suppressed canopy layers. The variation in the needle dry mass and in the element concentrations and contents, calculated as plot means, was explained by thinning treatment, blocking by site groups and randoming blocking within the site. Thinning increased foliar concentrations of P, needle size, and contents of N, P, and K in all the canopy layers. It was concluded that thinning improved the foliar nutrient status by reducing the competition for nutrients.

Wood density in Norway spruce: changes with thinning intensity and tree age

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (7) ◽  
pp. 1767-1778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tuula Jaakkola ◽  
Harri Mäkinen ◽  
Pekka Saranpää
Keyword(s):  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Wood Density ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Tree Age ◽  
Individual Tree ◽  
Thinning Intensity ◽  
Individual Tree Growth ◽  
Spruce Stands ◽  
Individual Trees

The effect of thinning intensity on growth and wood density in Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) was investigated in two long-term thinning experiments in southeastern Finland. The stands were approaching maturity, and their development had already been studied for 30 years. The intensities of thinning were low, normal, and high (i.e., the stand basal area after the thinning was, on average, 40, 27, and 24 m2·ha–1, respectively, in Heinola, and 30, 28, and 17 m2·ha–1 in Punkaharju, respectively). Compared with the low thinning intensity, the normal and high thinning intensities increased the basal-area increment of individual trees by 52% and 68%, respectively. Normal and high thinning intensities resulted in a relatively small reduction (1%–4%) of mean ring density compared with low thinning intensity. The random variation in wood density between and within trees was large. About 27% of the total variation in wood density was related to variation between rings. Our results indicate that the prevailing thinning intensities in Norway spruce stands in Fennoscandia cause no marked changes in wood density. At least, the possible reduction in wood density is low compared with the increase in individual tree growth.

Long-term litter input manipulation effects on production and properties of dissolved organic matter in the forest floor of a Norway spruce stand

2012 ◽  
Vol 355 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 407-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thimo Klotzbücher ◽  
Klaus Kaiser ◽  
Christoph Stepper ◽  
Emiel van Loon ◽  
Pedro Gerstberger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dissolved Organic Matter ◽  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
Litter Input

Forest floor and soil nutrient status under Norway spruce and red pine in a plantation in southern Quebec

1994 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 387-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. Fyles ◽  
B. Côté
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Red Pine ◽  
Soil Nutrient Status ◽  
Tree Species Effects

The influence of 40 years of red pine and Norway spruce growth on forest floor and soil nutrient status was examined in a well-replicated series of plantation blocks established on abandoned agricultural land. Concentrations of N, P, K and Ca, and mass of organic matter and all nutrients in the forest floor were higher under spruce than under pine. In the mineral soil, concentrations of exchangeable K and Ca were higher under spruce whereas Mg, extractable P and mineralizable N did not differ between the species. Forest floor pH was higher under spruce but mineral soil pH did not differ between the species. The soil characteristics reflected litter chemistry of the two species. Relative to pine, spruce foliage litter was consistently higher in nutrient concentration and had lower acidity and higher ash bases. The results are inconsistent with the reputation of Norway spruce as a species that strongly acidifies soils, an observation that may be the result of elevated levels of Ca and K in our soils relative to those in other studies where acidification has been observed. This research demonstrates that soil fertility can be altered significantly by tree species effects over the period of a single rotation. Key words: Forest soil fertility, plantation, acidity, forest floor, leaf litter

scholarly journals Nitrogen availability determines the long-term impact of land-use change on soil carbon stocks in grasslands of southern Ghana

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Kormla Nyameasem ◽  
Thorsten Reinsch ◽  
Friedhelm Taube ◽  
Charles Yaw Fosu Domozoro ◽  
Esther Marfo-Ahenkora ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Soc Stocks

Abstract. Enhancing the capacity of agricultural soils to resist soil degradation and to mitigate climate change requires long-term assessments of land-use systems. Such long-term evaluations, particularly regarding low-input livestock systems, are limited. This study evaluated the impact of long-term land-use practices, condensed tannins (CT) and soil nutrient status on carbon cycling in arable and permanent systems of a tropical Savannah. Soil samples were taken (0–30 cm depth) from arable crop fields, grazed-seeded grassland, cut-use permanent crops and native grassland. Soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks ranged from 19.9 to 36.8 Mg SOC ha−1 (mean ± sd = 32.9 ± 0.2 Mg ha−1). SOC stocks were lower for grazed-seeded grassland relative to cut-use grass, legume trees and shrubs. Within sown systems, nitrogen availability seemed to be the most critical factor that determines the fate of the SOC stocks, with soil nitrogen (N) concentration and the SOC being highly correlated (r = 0.90; p 

scholarly journals  Norway spruce litterfall and forest floor in the IUFRO thinning experiment CZ 13 – Vítkov

2013 ◽  
Vol 59 (No. 3) ◽  
pp. 107-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Novák ◽  
M. Slodičák ◽  
D. Dušek ◽  
D. Kacálek
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Young Age ◽  
Lower Amount ◽  
Spruce Stands ◽  
Humus Horizons

The effect of thinning on litterfall and decomposition of biomass was investigated in Norway spruce IUFRO thinning experiment (CZ-13), Czech Republic. The experiment was established in 1971 in an 8-year-old spruce stand on former farmland. Quantity and quality of litterfall and biomass from humus horizons were analysed in two treatments (1C &ndash; no thinning, 2T &ndash; heavy thinning at the young age). Forest floor was investigated in 2002, 2004, 2005&nbsp;and 2009 and litterfall was observed in the period 2002&ndash;2009. Accumulated dry mass in forest floor after 39&nbsp;years of existence of spruce stands continually decreased until the age of 46 years (from 80&ndash;100 to 30&ndash;50 Mg&middot;ha<sup>&ndash;1</sup>). Under thinned stand, a lower amount of dry mass was observed compared to the control. Although mean total annual litterfall was the same in both treatments (5.3 Mg&middot;ha<sup>&ndash;1</sup>), the observed trend indicates a possible effect of thinning on the higher rate of decomposition. With the exception of calcium (2002&ndash;2005 samples) we found the forest floor lower in nutrients and litterfall higher in nutrients in thinned plot compared to the control. Our results supported the theory that early thinning is an appropriate silvicultural strategy helping spruce to cope with growth conditions on sites naturally dominated by broadleaves. &nbsp;

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