THE EFFECT OF WINDTHROW DISTURBANCE AND SALVAGE LOGGING ON NUTRIENT CYCLING IN A CONIFEROUS FOREST ECOSYSTEM
Impact/Purpose:
The objective of this research project is to characterize the short-term effects of large-scale windthrow disturbance and subsequent salvage logging activities on forest nutrient cycles. The study site is the Routt National Forest in Northern Colorado. This mature, spruce-fir forest experienced a large (>8,000 hectares) windthrow disturbance in October 1997. A portion of the blowdown has been salvage-logged over the past 2 years.
Description:
It is expected that nitrogen availability will be lower in logged areas relative to areas of intact forest and areas of blowdown forest; this nutrient may be a factor limiting forest growth. Furthermore, the results of this study are expected to help elucidate the controls on the biogeochemical response to natural and anthropogenic landscape disturbances.
Record Details:
Record Type:PROJECT(
ABSTRACT
)
Start Date:08/01/1999
Completion Date:08/01/2002
Record ID:
57535
Keywords:
DISTURBANCE, BIOGEOCHEMISTRY, WINDTHROW, BLOWDOWN, LOGGING, NITROGEN MINERALIZATION.,
Related Organizations:
Role
:OWNER
Organization Name
:UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO - BOULDER
Mailing Address
:Campus Box 17
Citation
:Boulder
State
:CO
Zip Code
:80309
Project Information:
Approach
:Experimental plots will be installed in August 1999 in areas of intact forest, areas of blowdown forest, and in recently salvage-logged areas. Soil samples will be collected from each plot to measure the following physical and chemical properties of the soil: soil moisture, soil organic matter content, carbon to nitrogen ratio, carbon concentration, nitrogen concentration, pH, and soil texture. Furthermore, nitrogen mineralization rates will be calculated in each plot using the in situ buried bag method for August through November 1999.
Cost
:$83,232.00
Research Component
:Fellowship - Ecology and Ecosystems
Approach
:
Experimental plots will be installed in August 1999 in areas of intact forest, areas of blowdown forest, and in recently salvage-logged areas. Soil samples will be collected from each plot to measure the following physical and chemical properties of the soil: soil moisture, soil organic matter content, carbon to nitrogen ratio, carbon concentration, nitrogen concentration, pH, and soil texture. Furthermore, nitrogen mineralization rates will be calculated in each plot using the in situ buried bag method for August through November 1999.
Cost
:$83,232.00
Research Component
:Academic Fellowships
Approach
:
Experimental plots will be installed in August 1999 in areas of intact forest, areas of blowdown forest, and in recently salvage-logged areas. Soil samples will be collected from each plot to measure the following physical and chemical properties of the soil: soil moisture, soil organic matter content, carbon to nitrogen ratio, carbon concentration, nitrogen concentration, pH, and soil texture. Furthermore, nitrogen mineralization rates will be calculated in each plot using the in situ buried bag method for August through November 1999.
Cost
:$83,232.00
Research Component
:Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration
Project IDs:
ID Code
:U915593
Project type
:Fellowship