Changes in site productivity and the recovery of soil properties following wet- and dry-weather harvesting disturbances in the Atlantic Coastal Plain for a stand of age 10 years

2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (8) ◽  
pp. 1336-1348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark H. Eisenbies ◽  
James A. Burger ◽  
W. Michael Aust ◽  
Steven C. Patterson
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Loblolly Pine ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Tree Height ◽  
Site Preparation ◽  
Atlantic Coastal Plain ◽  
Site Productivity ◽  
Individual Tree ◽  
Wet Weather ◽  
Wet Pine Flats

Wet-weather logging can cause severe soil physical disturbances and redistribute residues. Although some research indicates negative effects of such disturbances on individual tree growth, the long-term resilience and resistance of soils and the ameliorative effects of site preparation are not fully understood. Three 20 ha loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda L.) plantations located on fertile wet pine flats on the coastal plain of South Carolina were subjected to five treatment combinations of harvest (wet and dry) and site preparation. Mean tree heights were 10.2–11.5 m, and stand biomass ranged between 95 and 143 Mg/ha. A rank diagnostic indicates that wet-weather harvesting did not significantly change site productivity between rotations, and bedding improved site productivity. At the polypedon scale (0.04 ha), there were no significant differences in tree height, biomass, or the rank diagnostic among classes of soil physical disturbances or harvesting residues when bedding was employed. On nonbedded sites, some levels of disturbance appeared to be superior to minimally disturbed sites. Based on 10 year results, wet pine flats are apparently resistant and resilient to the effects of wet-weather harvesting.

scholarly journals Bedding and Fertilization Ameliorate Effects of Designated Wet-Weather Skid Trails after Four Years for Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) Plantations

1998 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 222-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Michael Aust ◽  
James A. Burger ◽  
William H. McKee ◽  
Gregory A. Scheerer ◽  
Mark D. Tippett
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Taeda ◽  
Loblolly Pine ◽  
Water Movement ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Site Preparation ◽  
Site Productivity ◽  
Mechanical Site Preparation ◽  
Wet Weather ◽  
Four Levels ◽  
Study Sites

Abstract Wet-weather harvesting operations on wet pine fiats can cause soil disturbances that may reduce long-term site productivity. Site preparation and fertilization are often recommended as ameliorative practices for such disturbances, but few studies have actually quantified their effects on restoration. The purposes of this study were to quantify the effects of wet-weather harvest traffic in designated skid trails on soil properties and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) growth, and to evaluate the ameliorative effects of site preparation. Study sites were established on wet pine flats of the lower Coastal Plain within the Francis Marion National Forest (Berkeley County, SC). Treatments were arranged in a split-split plot within a randomized complete block design. Treatments were two levels of traffic (nontrafficked, trafficked), four levels of mechanical site preparation (none, disking, bedding, disking + bedding), and two levels of fertilization (none, 337 kg /ha of 10-10-10 fertilizer). initially, the trafficking increased soil bulk densities and reduced soil water movement and subsequent growth of loblolly pine (years 1 and 2). Bedding combined with fertilization restored site productivity to non trafficked levels within 4 yr, but disking or fertilization treatments alone were not effective at ameliorating the traffic effects. The effectiveness of the bedding and fertilization treatments for amelioration of traffic effects was probably facilitated by the relatively small area of disturbed skid trails (<10%) found on these sites. Areas having more severe disturbance or higher percentages of disturbance might not be ameliorated as rapidly. South. J. Appl. For. 22(4):222-226.

scholarly journals Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) productivity 23 years after wet site harvesting and site preparation in the lower Atlantic coastal plain

2017 ◽  
Vol 401 ◽  
pp. 207-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles M. Neaves ◽  
W. Michael Aust ◽  
M. Chad Bolding ◽  
Scott M. Barrett ◽  
Carl C. Trettin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Taeda ◽  
Loblolly Pine ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Site Preparation ◽  
Atlantic Coastal Plain ◽  
Pinus Taeda L ◽  
Atlantic Coastal

scholarly journals Soil properties in site prepared loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stands 25 years after wet weather harvesting in the lower Atlantic coastal plain

2017 ◽  
Vol 404 ◽  
pp. 344-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles M. Neaves ◽  
W. Michael Aust ◽  
M. Chad Bolding ◽  
Scott M. Barrett ◽  
Carl C. Trettin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Pinus Taeda ◽  
Loblolly Pine ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Atlantic Coastal Plain ◽  
Wet Weather ◽  
Pinus Taeda L ◽  
Atlantic Coastal

scholarly journals Wet-Weather Timber Harvesting and Site Preparation Effects on Coastal Plain Sites: A Review

2004 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 137-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Michael Aust ◽  
Masato Miwa ◽  
James A. Burger ◽  
Steve C. Patterson ◽  
Emily A. Carter
Keyword(s):  
Loblolly Pine ◽  
Forest Soils ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Seedling Survival ◽  
Soil Disturbance ◽  
Site Preparation ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Soil Drainage ◽  
Tree Seedling ◽  
Wet Weather

Abstract Increased interest in sustainable forestry has intensified the need for information on the interactions of forest soils, harvesting methods, site disturbances, and the efficacy of methods for ameliorating disturbances. On wet pine flats, such as those commonly found in the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains, conditions such as frequent rainfall, low relief, and poor internal soil drainage often predispose forest soils to harvest disturbances and potential damage. Typical forest operations use heavy logging equipment, such as rubber-tired feller-bunchers and skidders. During dry soil conditions, these machines cause little soil disturbance, but under moist to saturated conditions, such operations may compact soils and interfere with normal soil drainage. Many studies have been conducted to characterize soil disturbance and site preparation effects on tree seedling survival and growth and to evaluate the amelioration effect of site preparation on disturbed soils. However, results are sometimes contradictory due to site specificity, and results have not been summarized in the context of pine plantation management. This article summarizes previous research results of the wet-weather harvesting and bedding effects on soil properties as related to loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) productivity for a variety of Coastal Plain region sites types. South. J. Appl. For. 28(3):137–151.

Site Preparation and Phosphorus Application Alter Early Growth of Loblolly Pine

1985 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. P. Wilhite ◽  
W. H. McKee
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Loblolly Pine ◽  
Early Growth ◽  
Site Preparation ◽  
Intensive Treatment ◽  
Atlantic Coastal Plain ◽  
Hand Tools ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Phosphorus Application ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) was grown on three sites with a series of site preparation treatments and differential applications of herbicide to determine the impact of site preparation on early growth and nutrition of trees without the interaction of woody competition. The study sites were poorly, somewhat poorly, and moderately well-drained soils of the lower Atlantic Coastal Plain in South Carolina. One year after planting, treatments of no fertilizer, phosphorus, potassium, and phosphorus plus potassium were applied to each site preparation plot. Five years after planting, the tallest pines (12 to 15 feet) were on plots that had received the most expensive and most intensive treatment (bedding, phosphorus fertilizer, and a small amount of herbicide), but growth was good (10 to 13 feet) on plots that had received the least expensive and least intensive treatment as well (preparation with hand tools, no fertilizer, and a larger amount of herbicide). Growth was poorest (7 to 10 feet) on plots that had been rootraked and had received a medium amount of herbicide. Foliar nutrient data also indicated that rootraking was site degrading.

scholarly journals Twelve-Year Results of a Loblolly Pine Site Preparation Study in the Piedmont and Upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama

2002 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacey W. Martin ◽  
Barry D. Shiver
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Loblolly Pine ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Chemical Treatment ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Site Preparation ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Vegetation Control ◽  
Stand Basal Area

Abstract A designed experimental study was installed at 25 separate locations in the Piedmont and Upper Coastal Plain regions of South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama with the objective of evaluating the effects of different site preparation treatments, both chemical and mechanical, on growth and yield of cutover site-prepared loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations. The following six site preparation treatments were included: (1) burn, (2) chop and burn, (3) shear, pile and disk, (4) chop, herbicide and burn, (5) herbicide and burn, and (6) herbicide, burn and complete vegetation control. The herbicide, burn and complete vegetation control treatment significantly increased mean dbh, mean height, stand basal area, and total and merchantable volume compared to all other treatments. The burn-only treatment consistently ranked worst compared to all other treatments. There were significant differences in mean dbh, mean height, stand basal area, and total and merchantable volume between: (1) the herbicide and burn, which is an operational chemical treatment, and (2) the average of the chop and burn treatment and the shear, pile and disk treatment, which are operational mechanical treatments. In all cases the operational chemical treatment performed significantly better than the average of the two operational mechanical treatments. Average 12-yr-old merchantable volumes (ft3/ac) across all locations by treatment were: burn (846), chop and burn (1,445), shear, pile and disk (1,740), chop, herbicide and burn (1,669), herbicide and burn (1,919), and herbicide, burn and complete vegetation control (2,546). There were no apparent trends in percent fusiform infection levels across site preparation treatment intensity levels. South. J. Appl. For. 26(1):32–36.

Response of Newly Planted Loblolly Pines to Herbicide and Nitrogen

1988 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
William H. McKee ◽  
Larry P. Wilhite
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Taeda ◽  
Loblolly Pine ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Atlantic Coastal Plain ◽  
Pronounced Increase ◽  
Seedling Biomass ◽  
Loblolly Pines ◽  
Pinus Taeda L ◽  
Atlantic Coastal

Abstract In three separate studies on the Lower Atlantic Coastal Plain, sites were sheared, root-raked, and bedded, and phosphorus was applied. Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings were planted, and nitrogen fertilizer and preemergence herbicide were applied at several different times. In all three studies, loblolly pine responded positively in height, diameter, and aboveground biomass to herbicide applied in the spring following planting. Responses to nitrogen application were inconsistent. A pronounced increase in growth was found in only one study. There, a nitrogen and a herbicide treatment interacted to give a three-fold increase in aboveground seedling biomass after one growing season. The lack of response to nitrogen in the other two studies may be attributable to low rainfall in the spring after planting and mineralization of native nitrogen from soil organic matter. South. J. Appl. For. 12(1):33-36.

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