Abstract
The boreal forest is considered to be a low productivity forest due to its cold climate and poorly drained soils promoting paludification. These factors create conditions favouring accumulation of undecomposed organic matter, which causes declining growth rates of forest stands, ultimately converting mature stands into peatlands. Under these conditions, careful logging is conducted during winter, which minimizes soil disturbance in northwestern Quebec boreal forest. This results in water table rise, increased light availability and paludification. Our main objective was to evaluate the short-term effect of partial harvesting as an alternative method to careful logging in winter to mitigate water table rise on black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.) stands. We quantified tree stem diameter variation and daily variation in water table depth in mature spruce stands before and after partial harvest (basal area reduction of 40%) and girdling (same basal area reduction with delayed mortality) during 2016 and 2017 growing seasons. Water table variation prior to and following silvicultural treatments did not differ one year after treatment. Daily stem diameter variation in black spruce did not differ between treatments and control. Furthermore, temperature exerted a positive effect on variation in water table and on stem diameter. These results suggest that partial harvest could be more effective than clearcutting to mitigate negative effects of a high water table while limiting paludification.
Highlights
Centre d’étude de la Forêt, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succ
Our study showed that partial harvesting of 40% did not induce notable changes in either daily fluctuations of water table depth or on variation in black spruce stem diameter (Figures 3, 6 and 8)
Our study showed the potential of a light partial harvest for avoiding both water table rise and its negative effects on stand productivity one year after harvest
Summary
Centre-Ville, Centre D’étude de la Forêt et Faculté de Foresterie, de Géographie et de Géomatique, Pavillon Abitibi-Price, Institut de Recherche sur les Forêts, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Abstract: The boreal forest is considered to be a low productivity forest due to its cold climate and poorly drained soils promoting paludification. These factors create conditions favouring accumulation of undecomposed organic matter, which causes declining growth rates of forest stands, converting mature stands into peatlands. Simard et al [15]
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