Effect of frequent clearcutting on some soil properties, temperatures, and herbaceous vegetation and the potential of their recovery in a short time.

Abstract

Harvesting or degradation of forest ecosystems directly affects the microclimate, causing changes in air and soil temperatures and soil moisture in the forestlands. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of frequent clearcutting of forest cover on some selected soil properties, ambient and soil temperatures, soil moisture, and herbaceous vegetation cover and determine their recovery in a short period in the area subject to frequent clearcutting under the powerline corridors (PLCs). The study was conducted in the research forest of Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Faculty of Forestry. The treatment plots were selected from the clearcut area, and control plots were selected from an untouched oak-hornbeam forestland. Soil temperature and moisture and maximum and minimum ambient temperatures were measured in the treatment and control plots between 2020 and 2021 and topsoil sampled between 2019 and 2021. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test the effects of clearcutting on some selected soil properties in the short term after cutting. Clearcutting caused a significant increase in soil bulk density (BD) and a decrease in the soil total porosity (TP), soil hydraulic conductivity (HC), and saturation capacity (SC). Forest cover removal significantly decreased the soil organic matter (SOM) content by 3%, increased average soil temperature by 2.1°C, and the difference between maximum and minimum temperatures by 8.8°C. Additionally, clearcutting reduced the average soil moisture from 36 to 35%. The findings revealed that clearcutting negatively affected some hydro-physical soil properties and soil microclimate conditions that may not recover to their previous states within the next few years.