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Research article2018Peer reviewed

Impacts of off-road traffic on soil physical properties of forest clear-cuts: X-ray and laboratory analysis

Hansson, Linnea J.; Koestel, John; Ring, Eva; Gardenas, Annemieke I.

Abstract

Due to the great year-round demand for forest products, off-road forestry traffic occurs even when the ground is susceptible to soil compaction and rutting. We investigated the impacts of repeated passes with a laden forwarder (34 Mg) on the soil physical properties of two clear-cuts on stony till soils in northern Sweden. Core samples (n = 71) were collected from the top 5 cm of mineral soil in and beside wheel tracks, after six passes with the forwarder. Soil physical properties were quantified using classical soil physical analyses and X-ray tomography. The hydraulic conductivity was 70% lower in the wheel tracks than in the soil beside. The X-ray image analysis indicated that this was due to the smaller total volume and lower connectivity of structural pores ( phi > 60 mu m). Total porosity was 24% and 12% lower in the tracks at the two sites respectively, and mean bulk density was 1.39 g cm(-3) in the tracks, compared to 1.13 g cm(-3) beside them. To conclude, traffic changed the soil physical properties in a way that may lead to longer periods of high water content in the wheel tracks, increased risk of surface runoff and insufficient aeration for optimal seedling growth.

Keywords

Soil compaction; forestry; computed tomography; hydraulic conductivity; macropores; X-ray

Published in

Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research
2018, Volume: 33, number: 2, pages: 166-177

      SLU Authors

        • Associated SLU-program

        Future Forests (until Jan 2017)
        SLU Future Forests

        Sustainable Development Goals

        Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

        UKÄ Subject classification

        Forest Science
        Soil Science

        Publication identifier

        DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02827581.2017.1339121

        Permanent link to this page (URI)

        https://res.slu.se/id/publ/83537