Timber-harvest clearcutting and nutrients in the Northeastern United States

K. G. Reinhart

Treesearch

Timber-harvest clearcutting and nutrients in the Northeastern United States

Informally Refereed

Authors:

K. G. Reinhart

Year:

1973

Type:

Research Note

Station:

Northern Research Station

Source:

Research Note NE-170. Upper Darby, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 5p.

Download (PDF 437 KB)

Download (PDF 437 KB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/19493.pdf

Abstract

The effect of ecosystem disturbance on nutrients in the system has been receiving widespread attention. An appraisal of research results in the Northeast indicates that timber-harvest clearcutting has not increased nutrient levels sufficiently to reduce water quality below drinking water standards. Losses of nutrients from clearcuttings in New Hampshire over a 2-year period were about 85 pounds per acre for nitrate-N and 80 pounds per acre for Ca. Losses in the central and southern Appalachians were far less. There is both need and opportunity for productive research on many aspects of nutrient flow in forested ecosystems.

Citation

Reinhart, K. G. 1973. Timber-harvest clearcutting and nutrients in the Northeastern United States. Research Note NE-170. Upper Darby, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 5p.