Effects of Clear‐Cutting Alder Coppice on Surface Soil Properties and Aboveground Herbaceous Plant Biomass

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effects of clear‐cutting and skidding impacts on surface soils in an alder coppice and aboveground herbaceous biomass. For this purpose, experimental sites used in the study were a randomized complete block with four replications. Some soil properties were measured at 60 pits at 0 to 5 cm and 5 to 10 cm deep in control, normal harvest, and main skid trail sites. In the main skid trail site, as compared to the control and normal harvest site, the bulk density increased from 0.90 to 1.52g cm⁻³, the soil organic‐matter content decreased from 4.77% to 1.65%, and saturated hydraulic conductivity decreased from 86.34 to 9.6 cm h⁻¹ at 0 to 5 cm deep. Optimization of harvesting time and rehabilitation of skid roads needed to be done to prevent and minimize negative impacts of the skid roads on soils.

Keywords:

• Aboveground herbaceous biomass
• alder coppice
• bulk density
• saturated hydraulic conductivity
• skidding
• soil penetration resistance