Effect of forest management on the physical-hydrological characteristics of the soil in a temperate forest

Abstract

The process of temperate forest harvesting generates reversible impacts on the soil by altering its properties, mainly due to the reduction of vegetation, as well as to cutting and dragging of wood, which causes an increase in apparent density and reduces infiltration. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different forest management practices on the physical-hydrological properties of the soil and their relationship with water infiltration in temperate forest soils. The study areas were: recently intervened area, with the intervention dating back 18 years, and conservation area (control) in a temperate pine-oak forest under exploitation in the state of Hidalgo. The variables evaluated were bulk density and porosity (methodology proposed by USDA), granulometry (Bouyoucos method), and infiltration tests with the double-ring method. The results for bulk density were higher in the recently intervened area (0.62 g cm^-3) and lower in the conservation area (0.32 g cm^-3). Porosity in the conserved area was 11 % higher than in the recently intervened area (88 and 77 %, respectively). The infiltration rate in the conserved area was 2.641 cm min^-1 compared to 0.655 cm min^-1 in the area intervened 18 years ago. The authors conclude that the bulk density of the soil increases, while the porosity and infiltration capacity decrease with the implementation of harvesting activities ―a situation that gradually recovers with the establishment of new forests.