Evaluation of potential impact of soil scarification pattern on trees’ damages in future commercial thinning
2019
Kaleja, S., Latvian State Forest Research Inst. Silava, Salaspils (Latvia) | Spalva, G., Latvian State Forest Research Inst. Silava, Salaspils (Latvia) | Lazdins, A., Latvian State Forest Research Inst. Silava, Salaspils (Latvia)
The aim of the study is to analyse the empirical data collected in 2017, explaining the distribution of mechanically damaged trees left after the commercial thinning, in order to characterize the potential impact of the change of soil scarification working direction on the intensity of damage to the trees left in the felling during the following pre-commercial thinning. The study found that extraction or leaving logging residues in the felling area did not significantly affect the productivity of the soil scarification, but in areas where logging residues were extracted, the depth of the furrows increased significantly, implying a better quality of soil preparation in these areas. The study did not identify the correlation between strip-road patterns (combined or uncoupled ends) with damage intensity, but the research hypothesis was confirmed that the number and proportion of damaged trees is significantly increasing at the ends of the technological corridors. A bigger increase of proportion of damaged trees at the end of strip-roads was found in pine stands. When modelling the effect of soil preparation and logging design on the proportion of damaged trees, species specific parameters should be used – the proportion of damaged trees at the corridor ends in pine stands is 68%, in spruce stands – 45% compared to the rest of the stand. The rest of the stand can be characterized by production statistics or by the results of the study – the average proportion of damaged trees in spruce stands is 4.9% and in pine stands – 0.8% of the remaining trees.
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