1. Measuring Forest Sustainability: How Forest Harvesting Affects Key Indicators of Soil Quality Alicia L. Kiyvyra FS 533

2. Soil Quality The capacity of a soil to FUNCTION within ecosystem boundaries to: Promote root growth Accept, hold, and supply water Hold, supply, and cycle nutrients Promote optimal gas exchange Promote biological activity

3. Key Soil Quality Indicators Physical Properties Bulk Density Macroporosity Depth of A Horizon Chemical Properties Total C, N, and P Mineralizable Nitrogen pH C:N

4. Post Harvest Effects: Soil Physical Properties Soil compaction increases bulk density Decrease in soil porosity Change in surface hydrology Effects are worse for wet-harvested sites

5. Yi-Jun Xu et al. 2002

6. Kelting et al. 1990 Least Limiting Water Range

7. Take Home Message Tree harvesting can negatively impact key indicators of soil quality Increase in bulk density/reduction in porosity can have long term effects on water availability LLWR is a sensitive indicator for monitoring soil water dynamics in plantation forestry