Forest nutrient cycles as affected by climate, species composition, stand age, and intensive harvesting

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6518656

Johnson, D W

Patterns of nutrient cycling and distribution vary systematically with respect to climate, species, and stand age. Forest floor mass and nutrient content increase with stand age up to a maximum value which is determined by litterfall and decomposition rate. Litterfall and decomposition increase from cool to warm climates, but maximum forest floor weight decreases in warm climates because decomposition rates increase more rapidly than litterfall with increasing temperature. Thus, the age at which the forest floor reaches a steady state decreases from cooler to warmer climates. Maximum forest floor mass and the age at which it is reached are generally lower in deciduous forests than in coniferous forests. Deciduous forests take up, recycle, and accumulate greater amounts of nutrients per unit biomass produced than coniferous species do, but exceptions to this rule are noted. Intensive, short-rotation harvesting will cause large changes in nutrient distribution and fluxes, especially in cooler climates. Shortening rotations will accelerate nutrient outputs (both by biomass removal and leaching) and may require increased inputs (fertilization) while simultaneously reducing the maximum accumulation of nutrients in tree biomass and forest floor. Prevention of large forest floor accumulations is an especially significant change for cool, coniferous forests but is less so for warm and/or deciduous forests where forest floors naturally reach steady state early in stand development. 36 references, 5 figures.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6518656
• Report Number(s): CONF-8310316-1; ON: DE85000968
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
140504* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Biomass Production & Conversion-- (-1989)
510500 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOMASS PLANTATIONS
CLIMATES
CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FERTILIZERS
FOREST LITTER
FORESTS
HARVESTING
MATERIALS
MINERAL CYCLING
NUTRIENTS
PLANTS
SHORT ROTATION CULTIVATION
SOILS
TREES