The effects of post-hurricane forest regeneration methods on soil carbon and nutrient content

Autorzy

• Irena Burzyńska Forest Research Institute, Department of Silviculture and Genetics of Forest Trees,
  Sękocin Stary, Braci Leśnej 3, 05-090 Raszyn, Poland,
  e-mail: I.Burzynska@ibles.waw.pl
• Jan Łukaszewicz Forest Research Institute, Department of Silviculture and Genetics of Forest Trees,
  Sękocin Stary, Braci Leśnej 3, 05-090 Raszyn, Poland
• Wojciech Gil Forest Research Institute, Department of Silviculture and Genetics of Forest Trees
  Sękocin Stary, Braci Leśnej 3, 05-090 Raszyn, Poland
• Krzysztof Sztabkowski Forest Research Institute, Laboratory of Natural Environment Chemistry,
  Sękocin Stary, Braci Leśnej 3, 05-090 Raszyn, Poland

Abstract

The aim of the study was to show the effects of different methods of soil preparation for planting forests in posthurricane areas on the levels of organic carbon and nutrients needed to rebuild the forest ecosystem. The study was conducted in the forest district of Runowo (Toruń) in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie region. In 2022, experimental plots were established in the areas after the hurricane in 2017, that is, 1. prepared area (ploughing + planting); 2. Prepared area [ploughing (furrows) + planting]; 3. unprepared area (without ploughing) + planting; 4. unprepared area (without ploughing + natural regeneration) and 5. control area – forest. The soil samples were taken in spring (April) 2024 from the organic layer (O) on the objects (4 and 5) and layers (0–5, 5–10, 10–20 and 20–40 cm) on all objects. The soil samples were analysed for granulometric composition (using the laser diffraction method), hydrolytic acidity (Hh) and exchangeable acidity (Hw) (titrimetric methods) and for pH in a solution of 0.01 mol CaCl₂ dm^-3. The contents of C_org and N_Tot were determined by high-temperature combustion with TCD detection. The total content of P_tot, K_tot, Mg_tot, Ca_tot, Na_tot was determined after mineralisation in HCl and HNO₃ acids (1:3), and the content of cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, Na⁺, H⁺, Al³⁺) was determined in a solution of 0.1 mol BaCl₂·dm^-3 by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. It was found that the content of C_org and nutrients was significantly higher in the objects where no agricultural treatments were carried out, that is, 4 (‘natural regeneration’) and 5 (forest), compared to the objects where cultivation was carried out (sites 1, 2, 3). Positive Spearman rank correlations were found between C_org content and N_tot and cation exchange capacity (CEC) and between N_tot and CEC and sum of the base cations. The method of soil preparation for planting forests in post-hurricane areas affected carbon accumulation and availability of nutrients for forest ecosystem regeneration.

Keywords

• hurricane disaster
• organic carbon
• nutrients
• forest regeneration
• forest soil