Kitunen, Veikko

Lindroos, Antti-Jussi

Smolander, Aino

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Geophysical Research AbstractsVol. 18, EGU2016-17680, 2016EGU General Assembly 2016© Author(s) 2016. CC Attribution 3.0 License.Changes in soil nitrogen cycling under Norway spruce logging residues ona clear-cutAino Smolander, Antti-Jussi Lindroos, and Veikko KitunenNatural Resources Institute Finland, Finland (aino.smolander@luke.fi)In Europe, forest biomass is increasingly being used as a source of energy to replace fossil fuels. In practice, thismeans that logging residues, consisting of green branches and stem tops, are more commonly harvested. In 2012logging residues were harvested from about one third of clear-cuts in Finland. Our aim was to study how loggingresidues affect soil organic matter quality, in particular soil N cycling processes and composition of certain groupsof plant secondary compounds, tannins and terpenes. Compounds in these groups were of interest because they areabundant in logging residues, and they have been shown to control soil N cycling. In connection with clear-cutting aNorway spruce stand in southern Finland, we established a controlled field experiment by building logging residuepiles (40 kg/m2) on study plots. The piles consisted of fresh spruce branches and tops with green foliage. Controlplots with no residues were included (0 kg/m2). Changes in soil organic matter properties have now been monitoredfor three growing seasons. Logging residues affected organic layer properties strongly. For example, they increasednet nitrification and nitrate concentrations. There were also increases in the concentrations of certain terpenes andcondensed tannins due to the residues. The significance of logging residues on soil processes and properties willbe shown.

Changes in soil nitrogen cycling under Norway spruce logging residues on a clear-cut

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