Forests · 2023
Heavy Logging Machinery Impacts Soil Physical Properties More than Nematode Communities
Gibson, K. S., Neher, D. A., Johnson, N. C., Parmenter, R. R., Antoninka, A. J.
Export
Heavy Logging Machinery Impacts Soil Physical Properties Mor…
Abstract
Mechanized logging equipment causes considerable soil disturbance, but little information is available regarding thresholds for impacts on soil nematodes—critical members of soil foodwebs which perform important ecological functions. We examined responses of nematode communities and soil physical characteristics to the increasing number of passes (one, three, or nine) by a tracked feller buncher during thinning of a xeric mixed conifer forest in New Mexico, USA. Within and between the harvester tracks, we measured soil surface penetration resistance and shear strength, quantified bulk density at four depth increments up to a maximum depth of 27 cm, and characterized nematode assemblages in the upper 10 cm. Eight months after treatment, nematode communities were less impacted than soil physical properties by harvester passes. Total nematode abundance was unaffected by any level of feller buncher disturbance, and sensitive K-selected nematode groups were reduced only at nine passes. Conversely, soil compaction occurred with a single pass and extended deep into the soil profile to at least 23–27 cm. The first pass also decreased surface penetration resistance and shear strength, indicating disruption of soil surface structural integrity. Additional passes did not further increase bulk density or decrease surface structural integrity. Our results indicate that low levels of logging machinery traffic may have negligible effects on nematode communities, but nevertheless emphasize the importance of minimizing areas subjected to disturbance because of impacts on soil physical properties.
Show all
Mechanized logging equipment causes considerable soil disturbance, but little information is available regarding thresholds for impacts on soil nematodes—critical members of soil foodwebs which perform important ecological functions. We examined responses of nematode communities and soil physical characteristics to the increasing number of passes (one, three, or nine) by a tracked feller buncher during thinning of a xeric mixed conifer forest in New Mexico, USA. Within and between the harvester tracks, we measured soil surface penetration resistance and shear strength, quantified bulk density at four depth increments up to a maximum depth of 27 cm, and characterized nematode assemblages in the upper 10 cm. Eight months after treatment, nematode communities were less impacted than soil physical properties by harvester passes. Total nematode abundance was unaffected by any level of feller buncher disturbance, and sensitive K-selected nematode groups were reduced only at nine passes. Conversely, soil compaction occurred with a single pass and extended deep into the soil profile to at least 23–27 cm. The first pass also decreased surface penetration resistance and shear strength, indicating disruption of soil surface structural integrity. Additional passes did not further increase bulk density or decrease surface structural integrity. Our results indicate that low levels of logging machinery traffic may have negligible effects on nematode communities, but nevertheless emphasize the importance of minimizing areas subjected to disturbance because of impacts on soil physical properties.
Mechanized logging equipment causes considerable soil disturbance, but little information is available regarding thresholds for impacts on soil nematodes—critical members of soil foodwebs which perform important ecological functions. We examined responses of nematode communities and soil physical characteristics to the increasing number of passes (one, three, or nine) by a tracked feller buncher during thinning of a xeric mixed conifer forest in New Mexico, USA. Within and between the harvester tracks, we measured soil surface penetration resistance and shear strength, quantified bulk density at four depth increments up to a maximum depth of 27 cm, and characterized nematode assemblages in the upper 10 cm. Eight months after treatment, nematode communities were less impacted than soil physical properties by harvester passes. Total nematode abundance was unaffected by any level of feller buncher disturbance, and sensitive K-selected nematode groups were reduced only at nine passes. Conversely, soil compaction occurred with a single pass and extended deep into the soil profile to at least 23–27 cm. The first pass also decreased surface penetration resistance and shear strength, indicating disruption of soil surface structural integrity. Additional passes did not further increase bulk density or decrease surface structural integrity. Our results indicate that low levels of logging machinery traffic may have negligible effects on nematode communities, but nevertheless emphasize the importance of minimizing areas subjected to disturbance because of impacts on soil physical properties.
Findings
What changed what, as the paper reports it. Grouped by the measured property. The largest groups are open; open the others as you need them.
soil bulk density
↑ 2= 13
- no effect
feller buncher tracks,pooled across1/3/9passes vs. intertrack referencep = 0.615 · 2–6 cm · July2018,eightmonths aftertraffic · Cerro Seco, Valles Caldera National Preserve · 2–6cm;two-leveltrack/intertrack posthoc pooled across1/3/9passes
Source · p. 8 “feller buncher effects on bulk density were not detectable in the 2–6 cm interval (treatment main effect: ATS = 0.253, df = 1, p = 0.615)”
- increase
feller buncher tracks,pooled across1/3/9passes vs. intertrack referencep = 0.01 · 9–13 cm · July2018,eightmonths aftertraffic · Cerro Seco, Valles Caldera National Preserve · 9–13cm;two-leveltrack/intertrack posthoc pooled across1/3/9passes. Printed8.9% is combined9–13/16–20/23–27average,not thisintervaleffect
Source · p. 8 “greater bulk density in track samples relative to intertrack samples at depths of 9–13 cm (treatment main effect: ATS = 6.69, df = 1, p = 0.010)”
- increase
feller buncher tracks,pooled across1/3/9passes vs. intertrack referencesignificant · 16–27 cm · July2018,eightmonths aftertraffic · Cerro Seco, Valles Caldera National Preserve · 16–20cm and23–27cm,not continuously sampled16–27;two-leveltrack/intertrack posthoc across1/3/9passes;eachp<.001
Source · p. 8 “16–20 cm (treatment main effect: ATS = 16.03, df = 1, p \< 0.001), and 23–27 cm (treatment main effect: ATS = 14.20, df = 1, p \< 0.001)”
Source · p. 8 “greater bulk density in track samples relative to intertrack samples”
persister cp3,cp4,cp5 nematodes
= 12
- decrease
nine passes vs. intertrack referencesignificance not stated · 0–10 cm · July2018,eightmonths aftertraffic · Cerro Seco, Valles Caldera National Preserve · 0–10cm;nine-pass track versusmatchednine-pass intertrack;Fig7anoletters/noindividualpairp. Table8interaction.025notassigned
Source · p. 11 “Persister nematodes in cp groups 3–5 declined only at the level of nine passes from the feller buncher”
Source · p. 16 “K-selected "persister" nematodes in cp groups 3–5 were less abundant in the feller buncher tracks than in the intertracks.”
- no effect
low traffic,one andthreepasses vs. intertrack referencenot significant · 0–10 cm · July2018,eightmonths aftertraffic · Cerro Seco, Valles Caldera National Preserve · 0–10cm;one/threepass agreeing textualabsence relativematchedintertrack;no numericpairp given
Source · p. 16 “even K-selected nematodes were not impacted until nine passes.”
Source · p. 11 “Persister nematodes in cp groups 3–5 declined only at the level of nine passes from the feller buncher”
surface penetration resistance
↓ 11
- decrease
feller buncher tracks,pooled across1/3/9passes vs. intertrack referencesignificant · July2018,eightmonths aftertraffic · Cerro Seco, Valles Caldera National Preserve · Surface measurement;two-leveltrack/intertrack treatment main effect across1/3/9passes;not a test of eachsinglepass
Source · p. 7 “Both penetration resistance and shear strength were reduced in the feller buncher tracks relative to the intertracks”
Source · p. 8 “Treatment (track vs. intertrack) 1.00 22.54 \<0.001 ***”
surface shear strength
↓ 11
- decrease
feller buncher tracks,pooled across1/3/9passes vs. intertrack referencep = 0.005 · July2018,eightmonths aftertraffic · Cerro Seco, Valles Caldera National Preserve · Surface measurement;two-leveltrack/intertrack main effect across1/3/9passes
Source · p. 7 “Both penetration resistance and shear strength were reduced in the feller buncher tracks relative to the intertracks”
Source · p. 8 “Treatment (track vs. intertrack) 1.00 7.77 0.005 **”
total nematode abundance
= 11
- no effect
feller buncher tracks,pooled across1/3/9passes vs. intertrack referencep = 0.154 · 0–10 cm · July2018,eightmonths aftertraffic · Cerro Seco, Valles Caldera National Preserve · 0–10cm;two-leveltrack/intertrack main effect across1/3/9passes,not invented single-rate tests
Source · p. 10 “Total nematode abundance was unaffected by any level of feller buncher traffic”
Source · p. 11 “| Treatment (track vs. intertrack) | 1.00 | 2.04 | 0.154 |”
cp2 bacterivores
↓ 11
- decrease
nine passes vs. intertrack referencep = 0.011 · 0–10 cm · July2018,eightmonths aftertraffic · Cerro Seco, Valles Caldera National Preserve · 0–10cm;ninepass-specifictrack/intertrack posthoc;intertrackhigher means trafficdecrease
Source · p. 11 “Cp2 bacterivores were elevated in the nine-pass intertrack treatment (post-hoc non-parametric ANOVA-type analysis for nine-pass data only: ATS = 6.42, df = 1.00, p = 0.011)”
cp2 fungivores
↑ 11
- increase
feller buncher tracks,pooled across1/3/9passes vs. intertrack referencep = 0.001 · 0–10 cm · July2018,eightmonths aftertraffic · Cerro Seco, Valles Caldera National Preserve · 0–10cm;two-leveltrack/intertrack main effect across1/3/9passes
Source · p. 11 “These nematodes, which are dually classified as enrichment opportunists and basal fauna, were more abundant in the tracks relative to the intertracks”
Source · p. 12 “| Treatment (track vs. intertrack) | | 1.00 | 10.16 | 0.001 ** |”
herbivorous nematodes
= 11
- no effect
feller buncher tracks,pooled across1/3/9passes vs. intertrack referencep = 0.439 · 0–10 cm · July2018,eightmonths aftertraffic · Cerro Seco, Valles Caldera National Preserve · 0–10cm;two-leveltrack/intertrack main effect across1/3/9passes
Source · p. 17 “the tracks and intertracks did not differ in abundances of plant associates (Tylenchidae) or herbivores.”
Source · p. 15 “| Treatment (track vs. intertrack) | | 1.00 | 0.60 | 0.439 |”
plant associated nematodes,Tylenchidae
= 11
- no effect
feller buncher tracks,pooled across1/3/9passes vs. intertrack referencep = 0.141 · 0–10 cm · July2018,eightmonths aftertraffic · Cerro Seco, Valles Caldera National Preserve · 0–10cm;two-leveltrack/intertrack main effect across1/3/9passes
Source · p. 17 “the tracks and intertracks did not differ in abundances of plant associates (Tylenchidae) or herbivores.”
Source · p. 15 “| Treatment (track vs. intertrack) | | 1.00 | 2.17 | 0.141 |”
Set-up
Treatments
- feller buncher trafficField traffic
- intertrack referenceNo field trafficone passField trafficthree passesField trafficnine passesField trafficfeller buncher tracks,pooled across1/3/9passesField trafficlow traffic,one andthreepassesField traffic
Measured
- surface penetration resistancePenetration resistance
- Unit
- kg/mm2
- Method
- FT011 pocketpenetrometer,3readings;instrumentceiling .099kg/mm2
- surface shear strengthShear strength
- Unit
- kg/cm2
- Method
- TORVANE
- soil bulk densityBulk density
- Unit
- g/cm3
- Method
- AMS liner-ringcores90.59cm3;105°Cdrying;missing-volume correction
- total nematode abundanceNematoda
- Unit
- nematodes/g dry soil
- Method
- centrifugalflotation,Ludox;10%subsamples;first200identified;8pairs/pass
- persister cp3,cp4,cp5 nematodesNematoda
- Unit
- nematodes/g dry soil
- cp2 bacterivoresc-p2
- Unit
- nematodes/g dry soil
- cp2 fungivoresFungivore
- Unit
- nematodes/g dry soil
- herbivorous nematodesHerbivore
- Unit
- nematodes/g dry soil
- plant associated nematodes,TylenchidaeNematoda
- Unit
- nematodes/g dry soil
Sites
Cerro Seco, Valles Caldera National Preserve
- Location
- foot of Cerro Seco in Valles Caldera National Preserve, New Mexico, USA35.95° N, 106.59° W
- Climate
- 690 mm annual precipitation
- Soil
- Hapludalfs (Vitrandic) · USDA; Hapludolls (Vitrandic) · USDA; Argiudolls (Vitrandic) · USDA
- Land use
- xeric mixed conifer forestConiferous forest
| Depth | Texture | Clay | pH | Organic C | Bulk density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| general volcanic soil,depth not stated | loam to silt loam | – | – | – | – |
| 0–10 cm | – | – | – | – | – |
Similar papers
Soil Compaction from Wheel Traffic under Three Tillage Systems
Acquah & Chen · 2022 · Agriculture
5 shared concepts
16 findings1 site
Effects of organic transition strategies for peri-urban vegetable production on soil properties, nematode community, and tomato yield
Briar et al. · 2011 · Applied Soil Ecology
4 shared concepts
15 findings1 site
Assessing the effects of initial soil characteristics, machine mass and traffic intensity on forest soil compaction
Ampoorter et al. · 2010 · Forest Ecology and Management
5 shared concepts
12 findings8 sites
Effect of forwarder multipassing on forest soil parameters changes
Pandur et al. · 2022 · iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry
4 shared concepts
4 findings1 site
Soil compaction in a Cambisol under grassland in Estonia
Krebstein et al. · 2013 · Zemdirbyste-Agriculture
4 shared concepts
9 findings1 site