Long-term experiments on log decomposition at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest.

Abstract

A long-term decomposition experiment was established at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, Oregon, during 1985to test the importance of substrate heterogeneity, colonization patterns, and invertebrates on the decomposition of logs. The duration of the study is anticipated to be 200 years. A total of 530 logs (50 centimeters in diameter and 5.5 meters long) were placed at six old-growth forest sites. Characteristics measured for each log at the start of the experiment included diameter, length, volume, surface area, bark cover, and the total volume, density, and moisture content of outer bark, inner bark, sapwood, and heartwood. A subsample of logs was examined for lignin, cellulose, ash, calcium, copper, iron, nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, sulfur, and zinc content. Data on initial conditions and subsequent measurements are being stored at the Forest Science Data Bank, Oregon State University, Corvallis.

Citation

Harmon, M.E. 1992. Long-term experiments on log decomposition at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-280. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station