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The Effect of Forest Litter Removal Upon the Structure of the Mineral Soil

Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

ABSTRACT

The beneficial effect of forest litter, and the detrimental effect of its removal upon soil structure has been observed by the writer on several occasions. Measurements of the structure by aggregate analysis of soils in lysimeter tanks under red pine where naturally an excellent mull structure exists, have shown that where the soil has been kept bare of litter for a period of three and one-half years, the amount of aggregates in the first inch has decreased about 40% in comparison with soil retaining its natural litter cover. Between the one and three-inch depths, the decrease was between eleven and twenty-four per cent.

In the pan lysimeters in which the soils were not disturbed in any way, removal of the litter over a two and one-half year period reduced the aggregate structure of the first inch by 36% to 58% depending upon the method used, and in 1 to 3-inch depth by 5% to 23%.

In cases where the natural soil structure is less favorable, removal of the litter may or may not be detrimental to soil structure, depending upon the effect of such treatment upon ground cover and lesser vegetation.