Karaçam (Pinus nigra Arnold) meşcerelerinde ayıklama kesimlerinin toprak solunumuna ve bazı toprak özelliklerine etkisi

Abstract

Forestry practices may cause significant changes in soil characteristics as related to their properties and size. Although chemical attributes of the soil respond to the applications in the mid- or long-term while changes in soil respiration can react rapidly to forestry practices. Therefore, determining changes in soil attributes is needed to identify how the management practices would affect forest ecosystem function. Although there is much information on the effect of thinning practices on tree growth, there is a lack of knowledge on the impacts of pre-commercial thinning on soil properties, especially soil respiration. We aimed to determine pre-commercial thinning effects on some soil attributes in black pine sites. Four treatments with different intensities were applied to the stands studied. These practices were control (no pre-commercial thinning), 2000 (heavy), 4000 (moderate), and 6000 (light) individuals per hectare left, respectively. Measurements of soil respiration and soil temperature were carried out between 2014 and 2017 in spring, summer, autumn, and winter months. Soil characteristics, including pH, organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphor content, were measured just after and three years after the thinning. As a result, thinning increased soil respiration rate and soil temperature while decreased soil pH values. Results of the study showed that carbon balance in the ecosystem was significantly affected by thinnings, and adjusting the thinning intensity may be an efficient carbon management tool for reducing carbon emission from the soil.