No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.
The environmental impact of the water holding capacity of soil in a Mediterranean oak ecosystem
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any citations for this publication.
Soil physical and chemical properties can be seriously affected by forest operations. There is a knowledge gap on this topic for oak ecosystems, which can play a significant role in the context of multiple-use forestry.
The main objective of this study was to analyse forest floor and topsoil changes (0–10 cm) two years after the application of small-scale thinning (50% reduction of basal area) and clear-cut operations using mules to carry harvested material in a Northern Greece oak (Quercus frainetto Ten)ecosystem. The total amount of forest floor (O1+O2 horizons) was reduced by 37.8% in the thinned and 30.8% in the clear-cut plots compared to control plots. These large reductions are mainly due to reduction in the O2 horizon in the treated plots. Decomposition was reduced in the treated plots, possibly due to the new drier conditions. Treatments increased the soil pH but not to a significant extent. No evidence of erosion was found in the experimental plots due to the protective function of the forest floor and the use of designated mule trails. The areal extent of soil compaction was limited to only 3% of the total area mainly due to the careful planning and implementation of animal skidding. Small differences in C (%) and Ν (%) were found among control, thinned and clear-cut plots.
The limiting growth factors in Mediterranean oak ecosystems are soil depth and the seasonal change of soil moisture, especially during the summer dry period. More research on the definition of the optimum thinning degree and extraction systems in similar ecosystems will be important to satisfy the need to improve soil characteristics.
The objective of this study was to compare forest soil bulk density values obtained through conventional sampling methods such as the volumetric ring (VR: diameter 5 cm, length 10 cm) and paraffin sealed clod (PSC), with a variation of the VR, where rectangular boxes (RB) of
four different dimensions were used. Sampling transects were established on a machine operating trail located in a beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) stand in Northern Iran. At each transect, three soil samples were collected at three different locations. Samples from different methods were spaced by a 50 cm distance to avoid direct interactions. The soil class of our study area was Combisols according to the WRB classification with a clay texture. Soil bulk density differed significantly between the three sampling methods. The lowest values were obtained with the RB (average 1.25 g cm-3), followed by the VR (average 1.40 g cm-3), and lastly the PSC (average 1.52 g cm-3). The values obtained with four variations of the RB method ranged from 1.22 to 1.28 g cm-3 and were not found significantly different. When soil bulk density was calculated after the removal of the weight and volume of roots included in the samples, the values were determined to be higher than before but with the same range of magnitude. The lowest coefficient of variation was found for RB4 (CV=2.3%), while the highest values were observed for VR and RB1 (CV=5.7%).
Thessaloniki’s suburban forest is environmentally protected by law and also characterized as a high-fire-risk forest. It has a high road density due to its proximity to a city of 1.3 million. Following the disastrous fire of 1997, a number of rehabilitation works were conducted in the 2005- 2009 period along existing road routes. The existing environmental protection laws are not sufficient to assess the environmental impacts of these works within the forest environment. A method has been developed to evaluate the environmental compatibility of new road schemes either rehabilitation of existing forest roads. The method introduces the concepts of environmental impact as a mean intensity percentage (MI), along with the absorption capability of forests and a mean absorption (MA) percentage. Additionally the concept of environmental compatibility factor
By applying methods of dendrochronology we separated the influence of the factors limiting the growth, having direct reference to climatic factors. According to forecasts made on the basis of different models a strong global warming for the near future was determined. Quercus robur L. presents a high economic importance in the Romanian forest, therefore the below study is to make a sensitivity analysis to action of oak to "climate as limiting factor". The obtained result was used for the reconstruction of a climatic parameter called the standardized precipitation index combined for three months (SPI 3). The analysis shows a high sensitivity achieved in the previous year's rainfall formation of growth rings (September and October) and early season rainfall associated to the current growing season (May, June). The importance of this study resides in the need to know by further analysis how this species adapts itself to these climate changes knowing that the species within the area are threatened by extinction if it fails to adapt.
In Greece, chestnut forests (Castanea sativa Mill.) occupy more than 30,000 ha of forest land. The species is one of the most significant of the Balkans. It is mainly cultivated for its high quality wood. Concerning cultivation and harvesting, the monks in Mount Athos peninsula in northern Greece practice a special empirical management method for local coppice chestnut forests. Data collected from 9 sampling surfaces, comprising of coppice chestnut stands of three different ages (10, 20 and 40 years old), were analyzed to study the effect of this particular empirical management method on specific soil parameters. Results indicated that, there is a general trend for increased organic matter and nutrient concentrations in the soil of 10 and 40 years old chestnut stands in comparison to those of 20 years of age. Cultivation treatments cause intense alterations on soil properties, leading to severe degradation of nutrient resources.
Soil available water capacity (SAWC) is becoming a crucial issue for forest management in the context of climate change. However, the SAWC indicator, which was created for agricultural soils, needs specific adaptations when it is estimated for forest soils. This study aims to determine the best way to apply the SAWC indicator with regard
to its significance for explaining variation in tree fertility across a given region. An extensive investigation with spatial sampling of 100 Douglas fir stand plots was conducted in the Haut Languedoc Regional Nature Parc (Southern France). It involved stand fertility assessments, morphological observations of deep soil pits including
the saprolite, quantitative estimations of coarse fragments, texture and organic matter laboratory analysis and water retention and density measurements on a limited sample of horizons (35). Different approaches were used
to compute SAWC from the collected data. These approaches differed in the methods i) for estimating the fine
earth water retention – national vs local pedotransfer function -, ii) for incorporating coarse fragments – assumed
to contribute or not to the water retention of soils- and iii) for estimating soil volumes – variable thicknesses and
considerations of rooting. The results showed that the estimate of SAWC that explained the greatest variation in
tree fertility over the study area (23% of the variance) was obtained by estimating fine earth water retention
from a local pedotransfer function, by considering the water retention of the coarse fraction and by exploring the
thickest soil volumes (thicknesses of 200 cm, 300 cm and equal to the depth to bedrock) without explicit consideration
of rooting observations. The ranking of SAWC component impact on SAWC values was i) soil volume,
ii) coarse fraction water retention and iii) fine earth retention. These results indicate that improvements in
estimating coarse fraction water retention and soil volume and, to a lesser extent, fine-earth water retention estimated by a forestsoil-adapted pedotransfer function would greatly benefit the application of the SAWC indicator to forest soils.
Soil maps and models are indispensable tools in sustainable land management. The sustainable land use of our territory is fundamental to providing long-term socio-economic and environmental benefits. The risk of land degradation and corresponding declines in ecosystem services depends on the type of land use. Soil restoration can be extremely expensive, more than the implementation of sustainable land use practices. This is especially important in the context of climate change and the increasing pressure that a growing population places on soil resources, which is a global phenomenon. The objective of this chapter is to show the advantages of using soil mapping and modeling in sustainable land use planning and management. Soil mapping is fundamental to understand the distribution of soil properties, allowing us to implement sustainable practices in vulnerable areas and prevent land degradation. Soil indicators and models provide indispensable information for an accurate evaluation of land degradation status. Alone, or integrated with other disciplines, soil information is extremely important for understanding the causes of land degradation and implementation of sustainable land management. Accurate information and models are key tools for managers and decision makers to implement sustainable land use management policies.
The paper presents the application of the USLE methodology for the assessment of the soil erosion susceptibility in the Roşia Montanǎ mining perimeter, a 2000 year-old exploitation area. The peculiarities of the mountain topography and the vulnerability induced by the mining activities have caused the occurrence of soil erosion in significant areas. The identification and assessment in quantitative terms of these areas is vital from the mining structures physical stability point of view and that of environmental safety in the investigated region. The soil loss assessment is also considered in terms of Natech events (natural hazards trigger technological accidents), which combine the natural and technological components of a disaster. The results of the study illustrate the fact that the highest values of soil erosion are located in the open pit and waste heaps area, inducing the risk of physical collapse of waste heaps, especially if triggered by extreme climatic phenomena, causing a possible Natech event. Revegetation and physical stabilization measures should be implemented immediately as part of a rehabilitation plan, for the provision of regional safety.
Since the development of the entropy theory by Shannon in the late 1940s
and of the principle of maximum entropy (POME) by Jaynes in the late
1950s there has been a proliferation of applications of entropy in a
wide spectrum of areas, including hydrological and environmental
sciences. The real impetus to entropy-based hydrological modelling was
provided by Amorocho and Espildora in 1972. A great variety of entropy
applications in hydrology and water resources have since been reported,
and new applications continue to unfold. This paper reviews the recent
contributions on entropy applications in hydrology and water resources,
discusses the usefulness and versatility of the entropy concept, and
reflects on the strengths and limitations of this concept. The paper
concludes with comments on its implications in developing countries.
This review paper describes the nature and scale of changes to forest soils brought about by forestry operations. A relatively non-technical approach is adopted with the aim of stimulating debate within as wide an audience as possible. The paper does not aim to be exhaustive but rather a position statement. Areas where further study is required are highlighted. The concept of sustainability is explored in relation to forest soils, and the condition highlighted is that impacts of forest management operations should not, in the long term, exceed the capacity of soil to recover by natural processes (e.g. erosion losses should not exceed soil formation rates, nutrient removals should not exceed nutrient inputs etc.). Soil erosion, nutrient removal, compaction, and changes in organic matter content and soil water status are identified as the most important processes involved in the impacts of management. The impacts of some of the more intensive forest management regimes on soil compaction, nutrient removal and erosion rates appear to be of similar magnitude to the recovery capacity of soils. Where the most intensive forms of forest operation are used on susceptible sites some degree of long-term soil degradation appears to he likely, and it can be regarded as valid to describe such management practices as unsustainable. However, the scale of occurrence of such management is probably relatively modest, and decreasing. On less susceptible sites, and where less intensive forms of management are employed, impacts on soils are low enough for management to be regarded as sustainable, and are often less than under pre-existing land uses. Compaction caused by heavy harvesting and extraction machinery, nutrient depletion resulting from whole tree harvesting on infertile sites where rotations are short, and erosion following cultivation and harvesting on erodible soils are the greatest causes of concern. Compliance with recent Forestry Commission guidelines should lead to lower impacts than those recorded during recent decades. However, rotation-length audits of the impacts of different forest management regimes on a range of site types are needed before definitive statements about the sustainability of management operations can be made.
The paper presents a paired watershed experiment that has been realized to seek the hydrological impacts of 11 percent thinning in a deciduous forest ecosystem. The treatment was a regular selective cutting. Timber transportation was performed with horse dragging, and residues were left on site. Precipitation of the post-treatment year was very close to the calibration period average. At least 7.76 mm of additional water was maintained in the winter months of the first year according to well known paired watershed regression analysis. Observed and predicted monthly streamflows were compared in the post treatment year, and the observed values outside the prediction interval was assigned as statistically significant (p
Compaction by harvesting equipment has a potential to decrease the quality of root environment through alteration of soil pore space. Effects of skidder traffic on soil water retention and pore-size distribution were studied on medium-textured Inseptic and Oxyaquic Haplocryalfs, and Typic Dystrocryepts at 14 sites in Alberta foothill and boreal forests. Treatments included 3, 7, and 12 cycles by skidders equipped mostly with wide tires. Soil cores were collected at four random points of each treatment at an average depth of 5 and 10 cm. Soil water content of each core was measured at six potentials. Tempe cells were used to measure water retention at potentials from -2 to -30 kPa; a conventional pressure plate was used in the range of -100 to - 1500 kPa. The four-parameter water retention function developed by van Genuchten (1980) was fitted to the data. The pore space of trafficked soil was not significantly affected when soil was drier than field capacity. At higher soil water contents, the first few skidding cycles caused a decrease in θ5 and α parameters, which reflected flattening of water retention curves in the high potential range and a simultaneous shift of the steepest part of the slope to a lower potential. The result of compaction was a decrease in air-filled porosity below 0.10 m3 m-3, which restricted aeration without changing field capacity or available water holding capacity. Most modifications of soil pore space by wide-tired skidders can be avoided if the soils are drier than field capacity.
Available from http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/108564054/
An attempt to estimate tolerable soil erosion rates by matching soil formation with denudation in Alpine grasslands
- C Alewell
- M Egli
- K Meusburger
Alewell, C., Egli, M. & Meusburger, K., 2015. An attempt
to estimate tolerable soil erosion rates by matching
soil formation with denudation in Alpine grasslands.
J
Soils
Sediments
15(6),
1383-1399.
doi.org/10.1007/s11368-014-0920-6.
Eco-hydrology -Plants and Water in Terrestrial and Aquatic Environments
- A J Baird
- R L Wilby
Baird, A.J. & Wilby, R.L., 1999 Eco-hydrology -Plants
and Water in Terrestrial and Aquatic Environments.
Routledge, London, UK.
Quantity and hydrologic characteristics of litter under upland oak forest in Eastern Tennessee
- F E Blow
Blow, F.E., 1955. Quantity and hydrologic characteristics
of litter under upland oak forest in Eastern
Tennessee. J For. 53, p. 190-195.
A review of paired catchment studies for determining changes in water yield resulting from alterations in vegetation
- N C Brady
- R R Weil
- Nj
- A E Brown
- L Zhang
- T A Mcmahon
- A W Western
- R A Vertessy
Brady, N.C. & Weil, R.R., 2008. The nature and properties
of soil. 14ed. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle, NJ.
Brown, A.E., Zhang, L., McMahon, T.A., Western, A.W.
& Vertessy, R.A., 2005. A review of paired
catchment studies for determining changes in water
yield resulting from alterations in vegetation. Journal
of
Hydrology
310(1-4),
p.
28-61.
doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2004.12.010.
Impacts of forest management on streamflow
- L A Bruijnzeel
- R A Vertessy
Bruijnzeel, L.A. & Vertessy, R.A., 2004. Impacts of forest
management on streamflow. In: Burley, J., J. Evans,
J.A. Youngquist (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Forest
Sciences. Academic Press, Oxford, pp. 358-366.
Effects of Land Use on Erosion and Slope Stability. International nion of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO)
- D S Cassells
- D A Gilmour
- M Bonell
Cassells, D.S., Gilmour, D.A. & Bonell, M., 1984.
Watershed forest management practices in the
tropical rainforests of north-eastern Australia. In:
O'Loughlin, C.L., earce, A.J. (Eds.), Effects of Land
Use on Erosion and Slope Stability. International
nion of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO),
Vienna, Austria. p. 289-298
FAO model code of forest harvesting practice. FAO Forestry Department
- D P Dykstra
- R Heinrich
Dykstra, D.P. & Heinrich, R., 1996. FAO model code of
forest harvesting practice. FAO Forestry
Department, Rome.
Code of practice for forest harvesting in Asia-Pacific. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
- Fao
FAO, 1999. Code of practice for forest harvesting in Asia-Pacific. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the
Pacific, Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand.
Interactions between harvesting systems and forest ecosystems
- H P Ganatsios
Ganatsios, H.P., 2004. Interactions between harvesting
systems and forest ecosystems, Aristotle University
of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 168 pp.
Proposal of a Three-Step Water Management Paradigm for Multi-Purpose Forestry: The Case of Mountainous Halkidiki-Greece
- H P Ganatsios
- L M Petaloudi
- A Oikonomou
Ganatsios, H.P., Petaloudi, L.M. & Oikonomou, A.,
2019. Proposal of a Three-Step Water Management
Paradigm for Multi-Purpose Forestry: The Case of
Mountainous Halkidiki-Greece, 8th Edition of the
International Symposium Forest & Sustainable
Development, Brasov. p 127-138
Water yield changes as a result of silvicultural treatments in an oak ecosystem
- H P Ganatsios
- P A Tsioras
- T Pavlidis
Ganatsios, H.P., Tsioras, P.A. & Pavlidis, T., 2010. Water
yield changes as a result of silvicultural treatments in
an oak ecosystem. For Ecol Manage 260(8), p. 1367-1374. doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2010.07.033.
Geospatial and temporal variability of canopy and forest floor interception in a beech forest
- A M J Gerrits
- L Pfister
- H H Savenije
Gerrits, A.M.J., Pfister, L. & Savenije, H.H., 2010.
Geospatial and temporal variability of canopy and
forest floor interception in a beech forest. Hydrol.
Process.
24
(21),
p.3011-3025.
doi.org/10.1002/hyp.7712.
Effects of extensive forest management on soil productivity
- D F Grigal
Grigal, D.F., 2000. Effects of extensive forest management
on soil productivity. For Ecol Manage 138(1-3),
p.167-185. doi.org/10.1016/s0378-1127(00)00395-9.
Rainfall interception by hardwood forest litter in the southern
- J D Helvey
Helvey, J.D., 1964. Rainfall interception by hardwood
forest litter in the southern Appalachians. U.S. For.
Serv. Res. Pap., SE 8, p. 1-8.
Report of the applied scientific studies of years 1929-1931
- A Oikonomopoulos
Oikonomopoulos, A., 1931. Report of the applied scientific
studies of years 1929-1931, Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki.
Potential evapotranspiration in the University Forest of Pertouli and its importance as a site factor
- J Papoulias
Papoulias, J., 1973. Potential evapotranspiration in the
University Forest of Pertouli and its importance as a
site factor. Sci. Ann. of the School of Agriculture and
Forestry 15, p.193-215.
Methods of basin management for increasing water supplies. The example of Morniotiko river in Pierria, north Greece
- T Pavlidis
Pavlidis, T., 1997. Methods of basin management for
increasing water supplies. The example of
Morniotiko river in Pierria, north Greece. In:
Proceedings of the International Conference "Water:
Deadlock? Suitable Solutions to Water Demand",
Thessaloniki, Greece, pp. 4-5.
A review of chemical and physical properties as indicators of forest soil quality: Challenges and opportunities
- S H Schoenholtz
- H V Miegroet
- J A Burger
Schoenholtz, S.H., Miegroet, H.V. & Burger, J.A., 2000.
A review of chemical and physical properties as
indicators of forest soil quality: Challenges and
opportunities. Forest Ecology and Management
138(1-3),
p.335-356.
doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1127(00)00423-0.
Alteration of stream nutrient discharge with increased sedimentation due to thinning of a deciduous forest in Istanbul
- Y Serengil
- F Gökbulak
- S Özhan
- A Hizal
- K Şengönül
Serengil, Y., Gökbulak, F., Özhan, S., Hizal, A. &
Şengönül, K., 2007a. Alteration of stream nutrient
discharge with increased sedimentation due to
thinning of a deciduous forest in Istanbul. For Ecol
Manage
246
(2-3),
p.264-272.
doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2007.04.008.
Changes in soil physical and chemical properties following organic matter removal and compaction: 20-year response of the aspen Lake-States Long Term Soil Productivity installations
- R A Slesak
- B J Palik
- A W Amato
- V J Kurth
Slesak, R.A., Palik, B.J., D'Amato, A.W. & Kurth, V.J.,
2017. Changes in soil physical and chemical
properties following organic matter removal and
compaction: 20-year response of the aspen Lake-States Long Term Soil Productivity installations. For
Ecol
Manage
392,
p.68-77.
doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2017.03.005.
Effect of varying machine ground pressure and traffic frequency on the physical properties of clay loam soils located in mountainous forests
- A Solgi
- R Naghdi
- E R Labelle
- P A Tsioras
- M Nikooy
Solgi, A., Naghdi, R., Labelle, E.R., Tsioras, P.A. &
Nikooy, M., 2016. Effect of varying machine ground
pressure and traffic frequency on the physical
properties of clay loam soils located in mountainous
forests. International Journal of Forest Engineering
27(3),
p.161-168.
doi.org/10.1080/14942119.2016.1226673.
- N L Stephenson
- A J Das
- R Condit
- S E Russo
- P J Baker
- N G Beckman
- D A Coomes
- E R Lines
- W K Morris
- N Rüger
- E Álvarez
- C Blundo
- S Bunyavejchewin
- G Chuyong
- S J Davies
- Á Duque
- C N Ewango
- O Flores
- J F Franklin
- H R Grau
- Z Hao
- M E Harmon
- S P Hubbell
- D Kenfack
- Y Lin
- J R Makana
- A Malizia
- L R Malizia
- R J Pabst
- N Pongpattananurak
- S H Su
- I F Sun
- S Tan
- D Thomas
- P J Van Mantgem
- X Wang
- S K Wiser
- M A Zavala
Stephenson, N.L., Das, A.J., Condit, R., Russo, S.E.,
Baker, P.J., Beckman, N.G., Coomes, D.A., Lines,
E.R., Morris, W.K., Rüger, N., Álvarez, E.,
Blundo, C., Bunyavejchewin, S., Chuyong, G.,
Davies, S.J., Duque, Á., Ewango, C.N., Flores, O.,
Franklin, J.F., Grau, H.R., Hao, Z., Harmon,
M.E., Hubbell, S.P., Kenfack, D., Lin, Y.,
Makana, J.R., Malizia, A., Malizia, L.R., Pabst,
R.J., Pongpattananurak, N., Su, S.H., Sun, I.F.,
Tan, S., Thomas, D., van Mantgem, P.J., Wang,
X., Wiser, S.K. & Zavala, M.A., 2014. Rate of tree
carbon accumulation increases continuously with
tree
size.
Nature
507,
p.90-93.
Water management on forest soils below different wood stands
https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12914.
Szendreine-Koren E. & Nemeskeri I. 2007. Water
management on forest soils below different wood
stands. Carpathian J. of Earth and Environmental
Sciences, 2007, Vol. 2, No. 1, p. 17 -24
Instructions and tables for computing potential evapotranspiration and the water balance
- C W Thornwaite
- J R Mather
Thornwaite, C.W. & Mather, J.R., 1957. Instructions and
tables for computing potential evapotranspiration
and the water balance. Publ. Climatol. 10.
Environmental implications of harvesting lower-value biomass in forests
- E D Vance
- S P Prisley
- E B Schilling
- V L Tatum
- T B Wigley
- A A Lucier
- P C Van Deusen
Vance, E.D., Prisley, S.P., Schilling, E.B., Tatum, V.L.,
Wigley, T.B., Lucier, A.A. & Van Deusen, P.C.,
2018. Environmental implications of harvesting
lower-value biomass in forests. For Ecol Manage
407,p.47-56. doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2017.10.023.
The Secret Wisdom of Nature. Copyright © Ludwig Verlag, Munich, part of the Random House GmbH publishing group, The Bodley Head in 2018English translation copyright Jane Billinghurst
- P Wohlleben
Wohlleben, P., 2017. The Secret Wisdom of Nature.
Copyright © Ludwig Verlag, Munich, part of the
Random House GmbH publishing group, The
Bodley Head in 2018English translation copyright
Jane
Billinghurst
2018,
Epub
ISBN:
9781473555853VINTAGE 20 Vauxhall Bridge
Road, London SW1V 2SA
On the specific water holding capacity of litter for three forest ecosystems inthe eastern foothills of the Alps
- A Zagyvai-Kiss Katalin
- P Kalicz
- J Szilágyi
- Z Gribovszki
Zagyvai-Kiss Katalin A., Kalicz P., Szilágyi J. &
Gribovszki Z., 2019. On the specific water holding
capacity of litter for three forest ecosystems inthe
eastern foothills of the Alps. Agricultural & Forest
Meteorology
p.
278
(2019)
107656.
doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2019.107