Abstract
After forest harvesting, organic matter accumulation and soil nutrient availability are usually negatively influenced, especially during the first years. The hypothesis that 15 years after selective harvesting (15Y) the increased forest biomass, together with the enhanced nutrient recycling rates, compared to 5-years after harvesting (5Y), could restore nutrient availability and organic C accumulation (both in forest floor and soil) to similar levels to the intact site, was tested. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the timing of management practices (intact forest-control, 5Y, 15Y) on organic matter content, nutrient concentrations in needles, forest floor and soil, in a forest ecosystem of Picea abies L., in Rodopi mountainous area, in northern Greece. Significant differences between the intact site and the other two treatments were found in: i) soil N, P, C/N and exchangeable Ca, ii) organic matter and nutrient accumulation (basically in the upper 30 cm), iii) foliar K, Fe and Zn concentrations. In conclusion: i) forest management practices clearly influenced soil fertility and organic matter accumulation, ii) 15 years after selective harvesting nutrient and organic C accumulation in forest floor, as well as K and Fe accumulation in soil were restored to similar levels to the intact sites; thus, our hypothesis was partially correct.
Highlights
Natural forests present high biological polymorphism due to the heterogeneity of their structure and composition
Forest vegetation and fires, as well as other physical disasters played a crucial role in soil erosion, in the balance of organic carbon (Johnson et al, 2002; Lal, 2005; Mataix-Solera et al, 2011; Cerda et al, 2017; Pereira et al, 2017)
High fluctuations were observed in Mn, Zn, Fe and Cu concentrations, depending on forest treatment and soil depth
Summary
Natural forests present high biological polymorphism due to the heterogeneity of their structure and composition. The vegetation of natural and artificial forest ecosystems constitute one of the most important long-term pools of soil C and nutrients. After the changes in the methods of forest management, the increase of restoration practices, together with the abandonment for cultivation of many hilly, eroded lands (converted from old forestlands to croplands many years ago), forest sites were often experienced substantial increases of soil organic C and nutrient pools (Papaioannou et al, 2016). Forest vegetation and fires, as well as other physical disasters played a crucial role in soil erosion, in the balance of organic carbon
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