Effects of litter removal on the nutrient and carbon regime of forest soils

Abb. 1: In different forest sites the litter removal was experimentally reintroduced and the effects on soil chemical porperties will be investigated. Photo: Roger Köchli (WSL)

150 years ago the forest in Switzerland was heavily influenced by agrarian management techniques. This included in addition to the wood pasture also the removal and use of the forest litter. Therefore, the question arises, to what extent the abandonment of these management techniques influenced the nutrient status and the humus content of forest soils.

Aims

We want to shed light on the importance of the litter removal for the nutrient status and the carbon cycle in forest soils by an experimental reintroduction of these abandoned management techniques. We intend to systematically investigate the effects of litter removal on various sites of different productivity. The following questions will be answered:

• What is the effect of a regular litter removal on the carbon cycle in forests, particularly on the C-stock? To what extent decrease the exchangeable cations in the course of ten years and how strong is the decrease in the cation exchange capacity?
• Will the C- and N-concentrations and the N-forms be altered in the soil solution as a consequence of the litter removal?
• What is the effect of the litter removal on the internal N-cycle (N-mineralisation, nitrification)?

Methods

• Monitoring of the soil solution in treated and control plots
• Monitoring the chemical changes in the soil matrix
• Incubation experiments in the laboratory
  

Project partners

Matthias Bürgi, Thomas Wohlgemuth, Riccardo Scalenghe (University of Palermo), Sabrina Bertini (Bruker Biospin, Milano)

Conact

• Stephan Zimmermann