Microbial Processes > Long-Term Soil Productivity (LTSP) Study > Tour: 2 - Treatments

Standard Forest Treatments (Organic Matter and Compaction)

1. C₀OM₀ - No compaction; low organic removal: trees harvested and bole removed, but slash is left (slash = tops of trees with trunks less than 6 inches in diameter and branches).
2. C₁OM₀ - Medium compaction; low organic removal: trees harvested and bole removed, but slash is left.
3. C₂OM₀ - Heavy compaction; low organic removal: trees harvested and bole removed, but slash is left.
4. C₀OM₁ - No compaction; medium organic removal: trees harvested and bole and slash is removed.
5. C₁OM₁ - Medium compaction; medium organic removal: trees harvested and bole and slash is removed.
6. C₂OM₁ - Heavy compaction; medium organic removal: trees harvested and bole and slash is removed.
7. C₀OM₂ - No compaction; heavy organic removal: total tree and forest floor removal.
8. C₁OM₂ - Medium compaction; heavy organic removal: total tree and forest floor removal.
9. C₂OM₂ - Heavy compaction; heavy organic removal: total tree and forest floor removal.

No compaction treatment (C₀) (Umpqua LTSP site, OR)
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Compaction treatment applied with bulldozer (Priest River LTSP site, ID)
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Heavy compaction treatment (C₂) applied with tamping plate (LTSP site in British Columbia, Canada)
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Leaving logs (OM₀) - Many sites have vast quantities of downed, decaying logs that have become part of the soil matrix. These logs provide (1) a refuge for fungi, (2) moisture throughout the growing season, (3) carbon sequestration, and (4) a suitable substrate for root growth. (Priest River LTSP site, ID)
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Slash removal (OM₁) (Priest River LTSP site, ID)
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Forest floor removal (OM₂) by hand with rakes (Council Ranger District LTSP site, ID)
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Forest floor removal (OM₂) by machine (LTSP site in British Columbia, Canada)
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Heavy compaction and forest floor removed (C₂OM₂) (LTSP site in British Columbia, Canada)
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Project leader, Debbie Page-Dumroese with a tree seedlings
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Tree seedlings being planted (Council Ranger District LTSP site, ID)
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Optional Extra Forest Treatments (used on selected sites)

1. C₀/Stumped - Low organic removal: trees harvested, bole and stump removed (stump removal is an attempt to prevent the disease, Armillaria), but slash is left (slash = tops of trees with trunks less than 6 inches in diameter and branches); no compaction.
2. Herbicide - heribicide is applied to the understory vegetation on part of a plot and not the rest (the growth rates of trees in both sections are compared - trees on part where herbicide is used will not have to compete as much with other vegetation).
3. Winter logging - Logging done in winter in order to compare the effects to those of summer logging (Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada).

Pulling stumps to prevent the disease, Armillaria (Priest River LTSP site, ID)
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Pulling stumps to prevent the disease, Armillaria
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Priest River LTSP installation (no compaction/no organic matter removal) - On left: No herbicide applied. On right: herbicide applied to control competing vegetation. Trees are 2 times larger after controlling competition.
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An ameliorative rehabilitation plot (LTSP site in British Columbia, Canada)
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Winter logging (LTSP site in British Columbia, Canada)
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