Long term consequences of a prescribed burn and slash mastication to soil moisture and CO2

Abstract

Thinning of forest stands is frequently used to reduce the risk of catastrophic fire. But thinning requires that the refuse (or slash) be removed from the site, which can be done either by burning it or by mastication and dispersal. Either method has long term consequences to the soil and to soil moisture and soil CO2 levels. This study presents 2+ years (2004-2006) of continuous soil moisture and CO2 measurements at two experimental slash treatment sites within Manitou Experimental Forest in the Rocky Mountains of southern Colorado: (i) a prescribed burn site and (ii) a site at which the slash was masticated and dispersed. Each experimental site has a separate control plot (with no treatment). The instrumentation was installed before each treatment (either burning or mastication). In the case of the prescribed burn the soil moisture sensors had to (and did) survive temperatures exceeding 200 C.

Citation

Massman, W.; Frank, J.; Stromberger, M. 2008. Long term consequences of a prescribed burn and slash mastication to soil moisture and CO2. In: 2008 European Geosciences Union General Assembly; 2008 April 13-18; Vienna, Austria. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 10. EGU2008-A-02283.