An Assessment of Soil Disturbance from Five Harvesting Intensities

Abstract

Surface soil disturbance was compared among a commercial thinning, group selection, patch cut, 2-age, and clearcut. The thinning, group selection and patch cut units had significantly higher percentages of undisturbed area. The 2-age unit had a significantly higher percentage of area disturbed with litter in place. The clearcut unit had a significantly higher percentage of area with litter removed and soil exposed. The clearcut, 2-age, patch cut, and group selection units had significantly higher percentages of litter and soil mixed when compared to the thinning unit. No significant differences were found among all units for soil exposed greater than 4 inches. The clearcut and 2-age units had significantly higher percentages of area with newly deposited litter.

Citation

Klepac, John; Reutebuch, Stephen E.; Rummer, Robert B. 1999. An Assessment of Soil Disturbance from Five Harvesting Intensities. An ASAE Meeting Presentation Paper No. 99-5052