Effects of Skid Trail Slope and Ground Skidding on Soil Disturbance

The effects of traffic frequency and skid trail slope on dry bulk density, litter mass and rutting are examined. Treatments included a combination of four different traffic frequencies (۳, ۷, ۱۴, and ۲۰ passes of a rubber skidder) and three levels of slope (<۱۰%, ۱۰%-۲۰% and > ۲۰%.) The results showed that dry bulk density, rut depth and soil displacement increased with the increase of traffic frequency and slope, but floor coverage decreased. Within each traffic treatment soil compaction raised with the increase of skid trail slope, so that significant differences in dry bulk density were observed between slope of < ۲۰% and those one >۲۰% . Bulk density has become quite close to the critical value after ۱۴ cycles. With increase of the skidder cycles from ۱۴ to ۲۰, bulk density remained approximately constant. We observed soil displacement on the treatments with ۷ cycles: rutting on the treatments started with ۷ cycles and slope of >۲۰%. Soil disturbance increased significantly on slopes with > ۲۰ % inclination with a dry bulk density of ۱۱۰۰ kg m-۳ after ۳ cycles compared to ۸۳۰ kg m-۳ on slopes < ۱۰ %. In addition the forest floor mass on the treatments with ۷ cycles and slopes of >۲۰% (۴۳۷.۶ kg/ha) was significantly (p<۰.۰۵) lower than treatments with ۱۴ cycles and slopes of <۱۰% (۸۴۱.۴ kg/ha.) Data suggest that disturbance increased earlier in the steep treatments than in less sloping conditions. The dramatic increase of soil disturbance on treatments with slopes of >۲۰% may be associated with increasing load on the rear axle combined with slipping on steep slope trail.   REFERENCES Alakukku, L (۱۹۹۶) Persistence of soil compaction due to high axle load traffic. Short-term effects on the properties of clay and organic soils. Sol & Till. Res. ۳, ۲۱۱-۲۲۲. Ampoorter, E., Goris, R., Cornelis, W.M. and Verheyen, K (۲۰۰۷) Impact of mechanized logging on compaction status of sandy forest soils. For. 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Keywords:

soil compaction , Rutting , Forest Floor , Soil Displacement , Skidding , Iranian forest