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Potassium reserves in a forested, acid upland soil and the effect on them of clear‐felling versus whole‐tree harvesting
Author(s) -
Goulding K.W.T.,
Stevens P.A.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
soil use and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.709
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1475-2743
pISSN - 0266-0032
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-2743.1988.tb00735.x
Subject(s) - felling , environmental science , nutrient , soil horizon , ecosystem , productivity , potassium , agronomy , agroforestry , forest ecology , forestry , soil water , ecology , soil science , geography , biology , chemistry , macroeconomics , organic chemistry , economics
. The experiment conducted jointly by the Forestry Commission (FC) and the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (ITE) at Beddgelert Forest, North Wales, studies the effect of conventional clear‐felling (CF) and whole‐tree harvesting (WTH) of Sitka spruce ( Picea sitchensis ) on the local ecosystem and on the future productivity of forestry at the site. Bulked soil samples were taken from Block 2 of the experiment just before felling in 1984 and two years later in 1986. Sub‐samples from the horizons A h , E and B+C were analysed for exchangeable and short‐ and long‐term reserves of K using Ca‐resin and strong acid extraction procedures. The flux of K through the soil profile after both CF and WTH resulted in a small increase in exchangeable K throughout the profile after both treatments, but in a loss of short‐term reserves from the surface A h horizons of both and an overall loss of these after WTH. The nutrient flux down‐slope through the A h horizon could result in differential nutrient deficiency in future. The data suggest that exchangeable and short‐term reserves of K will support about two further cycles of conifers, with either CF or WTH, but that long‐term reserves are likely to be released quickly enough to meet the needs of such a slow‐growing crop; these would support about 30 cycles. Other nutrients, such as Ca or P, may prove to be more limiting than K.