Soil Compaction and Changes in CO2 Content in Forest Stand Soil Caused by Passage of Skidding Technology

The paper was aimed on reforming on damage to soil caused by passage of universal wheeled tractors and forest wheeled tractors. We focused mainly on determining the changes in CO2 content in soil after its compaction in comparison with unimpaired soil from the stand. We carried out the measurements in municipal forests of Stará Turá, in four stands, where a regeneration felling was done. We acquired data on the depth of ruts through the method of transversal profiles took samples of soil from the ruts and unimpaired stand to determine the bulk density and moisture content. We determined the content of CO2 in stand and ruts with a Vaisala MI70 device. We selected the stands so that they would be uniform in age, terrain incline, terrain, and soil type. All of the stands had a low bearing sub – soils – flysch sandstone. This affected the rut depth after both machines passage. Rut depth indicated severe damage to the stand soil. We also observed severe differences in CO2 content of the compacted soil. Measurements in all of the stands showed a significant increase in CO2 content after its compression. Unimpaired soil reaches volume of 0.3% and rut soil reaches 1.8%. The compressed soils contained 6x the CO2 of uncompressed soils. The results of statistical analysis show, that moisture content affects the CO2 content more than bulk density. Coeficients of correlation between CO2 and moisture content were r = 0.68 and 0.52 and between CO2 and balk density were r = 0.26 and 0.36. Increase in moisture content causes CO2 accumulation. Combined effects of these two characteristics are significant and show very strong correlation. There was for example r = 0.83 and independent characteristics influenced dependent on 69%.From the outcomes the measurements we can state, that the passage of mechanisms causes significant changes in the stand soil.