Carbon Dioxide Emission from the Soil Surface of the 10-Year Felled Area of the Pine Forest in the European North-East of Russia

Abstract

Experimental data on soil respiration are need for estimating role of industrial logging on carbon cycle of forest ecosystems. Investigations were carried out during snowless periods 2019–2021 years on felled area of pine forest 10 years after clear cutting (Komi Republic, Russia). The soil type is a Gleyic Folic Albic Podzol (Arenic). Emission CO2 was measured by LI COR 8100. The characteristic of weather conditions and soil temperature dynamic at 10 cm depth were given. The weather conditions were strongly influenced on soil respiration rate. More intensive CO2 flux from soil surface was observed in warm summer with insufficient precipitation. The mean month CO2 emission was less by 1.3–1.9 times in apiaries, parts of felled area with low soil cover damages, comparing to skidding tracks where logged trees were extracted. The significant positive correlation (R2 = 0.12–0.86) was detected between soil temperature at 10 cm depth and soil respiration investigated technological elements. A reliable interrelation between CO2 flux and moisture of forest floor was observed in skidding tracks in a year with abundant precipitation while in a dryer year it wasn’t. It is differ from apiaries where found reverse dependencies. Apiaries emitted in atmosphere 303–379 g С m–2 with soil respiration during snowless period, skidding tracks – 419–573 g С m–2 which is 60–75 tons of CO2 in terms of the area of the entire felled area (5 ha). The growing season formed most part (86–90%) of carbon efflux from May to October and input of summertime was 56–65%. The data obtained will serve to determine the role of timber harvesting in the carbon cycle of taiga forests.