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 (7) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Block, R. Articles by Pennock, D. J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Block, R. Articles by Pennock, D. J. GeoRef GeoRef Citation Agricola Articles by Block, R. Articles by Pennock, D. J. Related Collections Ecosystem Management Structure and Properties Forest Soils

DIVISION S-7—FOREST & RANGE SOILS

Quantifying Harvesting Impacts using Soil Compaction and Disturbance Regimes at a Landscape Scale

Dep. of Soil Science, 51 Campus Dr., Univ. of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 5A8

* Corresponding author (vanrees{at}sask.usask.ca)

Several indicators have been identified for the conservation and maintenance of soil criterion in the Montreal Protocol. The objective of this study was to use soil compaction and disturbance measures to determine harvesting impacts at a landscape scale in the boreal forest of Saskatchewan. Forest harvesting impacts were studied pre and postharvest for five harvested sites by (i) sampling soil bulk density (D_b) at prescribed grid-points, and (ii) measuring soil disturbance regimes on two 30-m transects at each grid-point. Mean soil D_b in the harvested area increased significantly (8–11%) from pre to postharvest conditions for the two winter-harvested sites at both the 10- and 20-cm depths, while two of the three summer harvested sites also showed significant D_b increases (7–15%) at the 10-cm depth. Combining all five sites, showed that after harvest 32% of all the grid-points had an increased D_b of >15%. Mean soil D_b at a 10-cm depth for roadways and landings was significantly higher (8–14%) than postharvest D_b for postharvest levels at four of the five harvested sites. Surface soil disturbance regimes were higher for the summer-harvested sites than that for the winter-harvested sites. Landscape position showed no significant differences in D_b between the shoulder, backslope, and footslope positions; however, within each landscape position, significant differences in D_b were found between pre and postharvest conditions. Soil D_b and soil disturbance regimes measured on a grid basis provided a simple, but reliable method for monitoring soil compaction and disturbance effects from harvesting at a landscape scale.

Abbreviations: BE, Birch East • BM, Bull Moose • BW, Birch West • D_b, bulk density • DEM, digital elevation model • RL, Roberts Lake • SL, Stuart Lake

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Prevost Predicting Soil Properties from Organic Matter Content following Mechanical Site Preparation of Forest Soils Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., May 1, 2004; 68(3): 943 - 949. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]