Mineral soil carbon and nitrogen still low three decades following clearcut harvesting in a typical Acadian Forest stand

• Published in: Geoderma Vol. 214-215; pp. 62 - 69
• Main Authors: Prest, D., Kellman, L., Lavigne, M.B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.02.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Carbon; Carbon storage; Clearcutting; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Forest management; Forests; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Harvesting; Mineral soil; Minerals; Soil (material); Soil carbon; Soil nitrogen; Soil organic matter; Soils; Stands; Surficial geology; SOM; Mineral soil; Carbon storage; GHG; Soil organic matter; DOC; Forest management; Soil carbon; Soil nitrogen; Forest site; Environmental factor; Isotopic composition; storage; North America; forest soils; Clearcutting; carbon; soil profiles; Soil profile; soils; stability; Forest stand; Forest zone; nitrogen; concentration; Mineral soils; Forest logging; depth; temperate zone; ecosystems; organic materials
• ISSN: 0016-7061; 1872-6259
• DOI: 10.1016/j.geoderma.2013.10.002

Intensive forest management practices can alter forest soil organic matter (SOM) storage (kgCha−1) due to changes in the environmental variables that control SOM cycling and stability. Here we investigate whether SOM losses are observed three decades following clearcut harvesting in a temperate forest ecosystem that includes the deep mineral soil (to a depth of 50cm). We compared SOM stored as carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in paired (35-year-old; 110-year-old reference) Acadian Forest sites that differed only in their time since harvest. We found lower mineral soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) storage (27% and 26% respectively), and lower C and N concentrations at the 35-year-old site compared with the 110-year-old reference site. Isotopic compositions of C and N through the soil profile did not provide insight into the dominant mechanisms driving SOM losses at the 35-year-old site in this study. This is the second study to document decreases in mineral soil C and N storage in a red spruce forest within the Acadian Forest Region three decades following clearcut harvesting. •Decrease in mineral SOM was observed 3 decades following clearcut harvesting.•Losses of soil C and N may not be evident without inclusion of deep soil.•Mineral soil pool is more susceptible to harvesting impacts than previously thought.