Soil Compaction Absent in Plantation Thinning

Tony King; Sharon Haines

Treesearch

Soil Compaction Absent in Plantation Thinning

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Tony King, Sharon Haines

Year:

1979

Type:

Research Note

Station:

Southern Research Station

Source:

Res. Note SO-251. New Orleans, LA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment Station. 4 p.

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Abstract

We examine the effects on soil bulk density by using a TH-105 Thinner Harvester and two forwarders in a mechanically thinned slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) plantation. Points in the machine tracks were sampled before and after harvesting at depths of 5 and 10 cm (2 and 4 in) for moisture and bulk density. Both the standard gravimetric method and a Troxler Model 3411 nuclear moisture-density gauge were used. Sample points were trampled at least seven times by wheels, each exerting a pressure in excess of 120.7 kPa (17.5 lb/in²), but we detected no compaction at depths sampled. Soil water content was 13 percent during thinning.

Keywords

tree harvesters, thinning, soil compaction, soil density, plantation

Citation

King, Tony; Haines, Sharon. 1979. Soil Compaction Absent in Plantation Thinning. Res. Note SO-251. New Orleans, LA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment Station. 4 p.