Decomposition of logging residues and its contribution to nutrient cycling in a brutian pine forest
2014
Ozel, H.
Substantial amounts of logging residues are left on site during regeneration and thinning operations and these materials have a potential to alter nutrient dynamics of forests. In this study, we investigated decomposition and nutrient release dynamics of six different logging residues (needle, twig, bark, branch, cone and stem) in two sites (clearcutting area with no canopy, mature stand with closed canopy) in a Brutian pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) forest in Burdur-Ağlasun region for two years. Results showed there was no significant difference between two sites in term of decomposition rate. However, residue samples had significantly different decomposition rates and nutrient release dynamics. At the end of two years, logging residue samples lost 10-53 % of their initial masses; they were arranged from fastest to slowest in the following order: needle > twig > branch > cone > bark > stem. There was no correlation between mass loos rates and initial chemical characteristics of the residue samples. However, mass loss and mean annual moisture contests of the samples were highly correlated. After two years, up to 60 % of the initial K content was released while Fe contents were increased up to 14-fold for all samples. As for other nutrients, sample types and elements had different results about whether the samples are source or sink of that particular nutrient. These findings indicated that foliage residues may act as a source of nutrients in the forest due to their faster decomposition rates, while other slower-decomposing residues may perform as a sink for nutrients, at least for the short term.
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