Speaker
Description
The increasing frequency of severe windstorms in Central European forests has led to extensive salvage logging operations that can have lasting effects on the integrity of the soil and related pedological and biological functioning.
This study quantified the extent and degree of soil disturbance following fully mechanized salvage logging in the University Forest Enterprise near Brno, Czechia, after a windstorm on 21 June 2024. It further explores changes in fine root biomass, root tip density, and mycorrhizal abundances. Five 50 × 50 m experimental plots were established in mature, broadleaf-dominated stands affected by the storm. Salvage logging was conducted in a cut-to-length fashion, and the resulting extent of machine traffic was mapped using high-precision GNSS.
The total disturbed area averaged 28 ± 3% of the plots when the entire machine operating trail was considered, and 22 ± 4% when only direct machine–soil contact was included. High-resolution digital elevation models derived from UAV imagery were used to estimate rut depths along 100 randomly distributed transects. Mean rut depth across sites was moderate (0.17 ± 0.11 m), with maximum values reaching 55 cm. Soil bulk density increased by 16% on average (from 1.22 ± 0.22 to 1.38 ± 0.25 g/cm³) in trafficked areas, with site- and depth-specific variations. Besides physical changes, machine traffic also affected biological conditions. Fine root biomass declined by 30%, and substantial reductions were observed for root tip density and mycorrhizal abundances.
Overall, results indicate average degrees of soil disturbance but high related biological impacts, with a striking areal extent—heavily exceeding existing standards and protocols designed for soil protection measures. This study emphasizes the rigorous maintenance of a permanent machine operating trail system, s, even under the unfavorable conditions of salvage logging operations.
| Keywords | salvage_logging; soil_disturbance; UAV_photogrammetry; windthrow |
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