HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (8) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ares, A. Articles by Flaming, B. L. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Ares, A. Articles by Flaming, B. L. Agricola Articles by Ares, A. Articles by Flaming, B. L. Related Collections Soil Physics Forest Soils Mechanical Impediance

Forest, Range & Wildland Soils

Ground-Based Forest Harvesting Effects on Soil Physical Properties and Douglas-Fir Growth

^a Weyerhaeuser Co., 2730 Pacific Blvd. Albany, OR 97322
^b Weyerhaeuser Co., 505 N. Pearl, Centralia, WA 98531
^c USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Olympia Forestry Sciences Laboratory, 3625 93^rd Avenue SW, Olympia, WA 98512
^d ENSR International, 9521 Willows Rd. NE, Redmond, WA 98052

^* Corresponding author (adrian.ares{at}weyerhaeuser.com)

Soil properties and forest productivity can be affected by heavy equipment used for harvest and site preparation but these impacts vary greatly with site conditions and operational practices. We assessed the effects of ground-based logging on soil physical properties and subsequent Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb) Franco] growth on a highly productive site receiving vegetation control in coastal Washington. We also tested the effectiveness of tillage in maintaining or enhancing site productivity. On average, about half of the area of ground-based harvested plots was affected by vehicular traffic. Sixty-three percent of the trees were planted on microsites with some degree of soil disturbance. Soil bulk density at the 0- to 30-cm depth increased from 0.63 to 0.82 Mg m^–3 in the most compacted portions of traffic lanes. The area-weighted increase in soil bulk density in the 0- to 30-cm depth was 27%. Soil strength in traffic lanes increased at all depths < 55 cm but never exceeded 1300 kPa. Tillage to the 60-cm depth returned the soil to its initial strength condition. Volumetric soil water content in compacted traffic lanes was greater than that in noncompacted soil. Total soil porosity decreased 10 to 13% with compaction, while available water holding capacity increased. In compacted soil, macropore space was reduced 40 to 52%. The study revealed no detrimental effects on tree height and diameter from soil compaction at age 4. At stand age 3, a tree volume index was actually greater for trees planted on traffic lanes than for those on non-disturbed soil.

Abbreviations: AWC, available water content • D_b, bulk density • DBH, stem diameter at 1.3 m above ground • DC, disturbance class • MV, macropore volume • r_p, pore radius • SVOL, volume index • TH, total height • P, pressure difference across an air–water interface at equilibrium • , volumetric soil water content • _r, residual volumetric soil water content • _s, volumetric soil water content at saturation • , soil water potential • , surface tension of water

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. M. Kranabetter, P. Sanborn, B. K. Chapman, and S. Dube The Contrasting Response to Soil Disturbance between Lodgepole Pine and Hybrid White Spruce in Subboreal Forests Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., August 3, 2006; 70(5): 1591 - 1599. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]