Effects of harvest intensity, site preparation, and herbicide use on soil nitrogen transformations in a young loblolly pine plantation

• Published in: Forest ecology and management Vol. 49; no. 3; pp. 277 - 292
• Main Authors: Vitousek, Peter M., Andariese, Steven W., Matson, Pamela A., Morris, Lawrence, Sanford, Robert L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.06.1992; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; APROVECHAMIENTO DE LA MADERA; AZOTE; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties; CICLO BIOGEOQUIMICO; CYCLE BIOGEOCHIMIQUE; CYCLING; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HERBICIDAS; HERBICIDE; HERBICIDES; LOGGING; NITROGEN; NITROGENO; Organic matter; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; Pinus; PINUS TAEDA; PREPARACION DEL SITIO; PREPARATION DU SITE; RECOLTE DU BOIS; SITE PREPARATION; Soil science; North Carolina; United States; North America; America; Isotope labelling; Silviculture; Immobilization; Pinus taeda; Forest soil; Forest logging; Nitrogen; Herbicide; Nitrogen cycle; Artificial forest stand; Inorganic nitrogen; Mineralization; Softwood forest tree; Gymnospermae; Nitrification; Coniferales; Spermatophyta; Ultisols; Chemical weed control
• ISSN: 0378-1127; 1872-7042
• DOI: 10.1016/0378-1127(92)90141-U

The interactive effects of harvest intensity (whole-tree vs. stem-only), site preparation (chop and burn vs. shear-pile-disk), and silvicultural treatment (herbicide-pesticide vs. none) on N pools and transformations were determined in a young loblolly pine plantation on the North Carolina Piedmont. Harvest intensity had little effect on N transformations in years 3–5 post establishment, but shear-pile-disk site preparation and especially herbicide treatment caused increased net N mineralization and nitrification in the treated plots. Laboratory experiments with 15N label yielded reduced rates of N immobilization in the herbicide treated plots, demonstrating long-term consequences of treatment for soil N transformations.