Impacts of Shortleaf Pine-Hardwood Forest Management on Soils in the Ouachita Highlands: A Review

Shortleafpine (Pinus echinata Mill.) is the most ecologically and economically irnportanr tree species in the Ouachita Highlands of tlze soutlzcentral United States. T1zi.s species can occur in relatil,elypure stands but mostfiequently exists in rnixedstands with various hardwoodspecies. Because of the diversity of land ownership, public concerns aboutforest management, and increased intensity offorestpractices, the Ouachita Highlands have been a focal point for numerous research projects over the past 20 yr that have studied how fivest rna~zugement uflecls soils. We sumnlarized information in jour,jirndamental areas: (1) compaction, (2) soil loss, (3) organic matter, and (4) nutrients to better evaluate if and to what degree munagement practices such as harvesting and prescribedfire nzodib the productivit?, and sustainability of soils in rlzis region. The review indicated that soils with less than 15% rock content or sandy loam textures were susceptible to conzpaction when harvested during wet weather conditions. Although partial harvesting teclzniques, such as single-tree or group selection, tended to reduce overull soil disturbonce in a sland, it increased soil con~paction on primary skid trails by concentrating traffic on fewer skid trails. Compaction on skid trailsfrequently elevated bulk density to levels that co~dd reduce regeneration success or seedling growth. Using current harvesting systems, soil losses and displacemenr to streams after harvesting appeared to have little or no eflecl on long- term soil productivit-y. Harvesting and prescribed ,fires significantly altered nutrient and organic marter contents of the forestfZoorandminera1 soil. However, recuver.y ofthese nulrient or organicpools often occurred rapidly after these cultural practices occurred. Little information was available for determining how repeated .silvic~~ltural practices over multlple rotations would affect long-term soil productility in the Ouachita Highlands. South. J. Appl. For. 26(1):43-51.