Pacific Southwest Research Station

Publication Information

Title: Organic Matter Content of Soil After Logging of Fir and Redwood Forests

Author: Durgin, Philip B.

Date: 1980

Source: Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Exp. Stn., Forest Serv., U.S. Dep. Agric., Berkeley, Calif.

Station ID: RN-PSW-346

Description: Organic matter in soil controls a variety of soil properties. A study in Humboldt County, California, evaluated changes in percentages of organic matter in soil as a function of time after timber harvest and soil depth in fir and redwood forests. To assess organic matter content, samples were taken from cutblocks of various ages in soil to depths of 1.33 m. Results indicate that only depth correlated significantly with organic matter in the fir forest. Depth, and to a minor extent, age, conelated significantly with or-ganic matter content in the redwood forest. Or-ganic matter content-in the redwood forest showed a small decline until 35 to 45 years after logging. These findings suggest that the ad- verse impact on soil organic matter due to log-ging is minor

Key Words: logging effects; organic soil materials; cutover forests; mixed-conifer forests; redwood forests; Humboldt County, California

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Durgin, Philip B.   1980.  Organic Matter Content of Soil After Logging of Fir and Redwood Forests  Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Exp. Stn., Forest Serv., U.S. Dep. Agric., Berkeley, Calif..