Nutrient removals with harvesting and by deep percolation from white birch (Betula papyrifera [Marsh.]) sites in central Newfoundland

Abstract

. 1998. Nutrient removals with harvesting and with deep percolation from white birch (Betula papyrifera [Marsh.]) sites in central Newfoundland. Can. J. Soil Sci. 78: 127-137. The effects of conventional stem-only and whole-tree harvesting on nutrient losses in biomass removal and in leachate fluxes over a 3-yr period after cutting three white birch stands in central Newfoundland were determined. Losses of nutrients in biomass were proportionately greater with more intensive harvesting as tree components with higher nutrient concentrations (branches, foliage) were removed. Stemonly harvesting removed 126, 9, 51, 126 and 23 kg ha -1 of N, P, K, Ca and Mg in biomass, respectively. Whole-tree harvesting led to a 19% increase in biomass removal as compared to stem-only harvesting, but nutrient removals with whole-tree harvesting increased by 127% for N, 138% for P, 151% for K, 72% for Ca and 90% for Mg. Nutrient losses in deep percolation of soil solution during the first 3 yr after harvesting were generally greater following stem-only than whole-tree harvesting. This may be the result of increased leaching from slash, increased mineralization beneath slash, and retardation by slash of the successional vegetation that could act as a nutrient sink. In the first 3 yr following harvesting, leaching losses after whole-tree harvesting were 4, 0.2, 8, 23 and 7 kg ha -1 of N, P, K, Ca and Mg, respectively, as compared with 9, 0.1, 7, 28 and 9 kg ha -1 of N, P, K, Ca and Mg after stem-only harvesting. Nutrient losses in leachate were generally small compared to losses in biomass removal.

Post-harvest nitrogen cycling in clearcut and alternative silvicultural systems in a montane forest in coastal British Columbia

“…Although the magnitude of changes in N mineralization resulting from clearcutting at MASS were relatively small and short-lived compared to sites elsewhere (e.g., Rosén et al 1996, Titus et al 1998, did these changes result in increased seedling growth? Any increases in seedling foliar N concentrations after clearcutting appear to last for up to four years after harvesting ( Fig.…”

“…d Assumes minimal outputs in biomass at harvesting; denitrification not included. e Based on < 0.1 kg N ha -1 growing season -1 in minimum years (2, 4 years after harvesting) and < 0.4 kg N ha -1 growing season -1 in peak years (1, 3, 5 years after harvesting) and therefore assuming < 0.2 and < 1 kg N ha -1 yr -1 as annual minimum and maximum rates, respectively; see also leaching fluxes for the first three years at the MASS site in Feller et al (2000), and other sites in Krause (1982), Feller and Kimmins (1984), Kimmins et al (1985), Martin and Harr (1989), Jewett et al (1995), Titus et al (1998). f Minimum balance assumes minimum input minus maximum output.…”

Effects of the clear-cutting of a Douglas-fir plantation (Pseudotsuga menziesii F.) on the chemical composition of soil solutions and on the leaching of DOC and ions in drainage waters

“…Situations with noticeable losses [2,4,6,7,12,13,20,27,28,44,54] or more limited losses of nutrients [16,43,57,58] have been reported. The case of the large losses observed the after clear-cutting of the Hubbard Brook experimental forest represents a very specific situation whose results cannot be directly generalized.…”

A test and application of the model ForNBM in a northeastern Ontario jack pine (Pinus banksiana lamb.) stand

“…Nutrient leaching could result in the decline of site productivity (Bormann and Likens, 1979;Hornbeck et al, 1990;Titus et al, 1997Titus et al, , 1998Zhu et al, 2003a) by depleting available soil nutrients. This research shows that nutrient leaching at the jack pine forest may result in a minimal decline of site productivity, because (1) nutrient leaching rates were low and (2) nutrient inputs from precipitation could compensate for the nutrient losses accrued from leaching (Likens and Eaton, 1986).…”