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Stand and Soil Changes Along A Mountain Hemlock Death and Regrowth Sequence
Author(s) -
Boone Richard D.,
Sollins Phillip,
Cromack Kermit
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1941019
Subject(s) - forest floor , ecosystem , organic matter , environmental science , soil horizon , soil organic matter , ecology , agronomy , forestry , biology , soil science , soil water , geography
Stand characteristics, dead wood, and soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools were measured through a wave—regenerated sequence of mountain hemlock death and regrowth created by Phellinus weirii. Stem density increased along the 96—yr regrowth sequence, but was low in the 225—yr—old, mature stand. Total ecosystem C (TEC) dropped upon stand death and did not recover. Net ecosystem production (NEP) was negative just after stand death and zero thereafter. The O2 horizon and the forest floor (O1 / O2) had greater mass, organic matter, and N capital in the mature stand than in the bare or regrowth zones. From the mature stand to the bare zone, forest—floor organic matter decrease 27% and C and N 24%. The forest—floor N decrease was offset by an equal N increase in the mineral soil at 0—15 cm depth. Mineral—soil C, as well as C and N for the sum of the forest floor / mineral soil, were constant across the death and regrowth sequence. The C/N ratio peaked for O1 material, and reached its minimum for fine roots, in the bare zone.