Rut formation after the passage of logging machinery in spruce forests on binomial soils

The ruts formed after the passage of logging machinery during logging operations are one of the negative environmental consequences associated with disturbances of the soil and vegetation cover of deforestation, which determines their further renovation. The negative impact of the formation of ruts depends on the number of passes of machinery and is associated with soil and climatic conditions. We studied the effect of different number of passes (4, 8, 10) of a loaded Ponsse Buffalo King forvader on a skid trail that is not covered by felling residues. The experimental logging site of LLC Dvinlesprom is located in the watershed between of the Northern Dvina and Pinega (Arkhangelsk region, North Taiga forest region of the European part of the Russian Federation). The original site is represented by a blueberry spruce forest of the V class of bonity, which grows on podzolic soil on binomial deposits and is widely distributed in the region. We laid the permanent accounting pads (20  5 m) in 3 repetitions. We conducted a detailed study of the structure of the ruts, at the bottom of each rut, we opened the soil and made a description of the horizons/layers of the soil, took undisturbed soil samples from a depth of 0–10 and 10–20 cm to determine the soil bulk density and moisture content. It was found that the number of passes determines the depth more than the width of the ruts. We identified 6 types of disturbances of the soil cover on the structure of the soil at the bottom of the ruts, associated with mixing, shifting and removal of the gleying soil-forming parent soil to the day surface. We have given the types of the structure of the bottom of the ruts depending on the number of passes of the loaded forwarder, as well as the differences in the soil bulk density and moisture content. The soil bulk density in the thickness of 0–20 cm with an increase in the number of passes of the forwarder naturally increases to the values corresponding to the soil-forming parent soil. At the same time, the proportion of moisture in the thickness of 0–10 cm increases with an increase in the number of passes, and in the thickness of 10–20 cm decreases. Noticeable changes in the studied indicators are achieved with an eight-fold passage of a loaded forwarder, which allows us to consider this number as the maximum permissible passage on podzolic soils on binomial deposits in the north taiga forest area.

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