INVESTIGADORES
DIAZ Sandra Myrna
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Fast Carbon Turnover after Logging in the Semi-Arid Chaco Forest (Argentina). Soil's Role In Restoring Ecosystem Services
Autor/es:
KOWALJOW, E.; CONTI, G.; PÉREZ HARGUINDEGUY, N; DÍAZ, S
Reunión:
Congreso; Soil's Role In Restoring Ecosystem Services; 2014
Resumen:
Although the effect of forest logging on soil organic carbon (SOC) has been studied across different
ecosystems, there is no consensus on the general resulting pattern. Logging activities could promote both
direct SOC loss through soil and litter removal as well as SOC gains through litter inputs from regrowing
vegetation and woody roots decomposition. We test the change on SOC in the semi-arid Chaco of
Argentina where selective logging as result of silvopastoral activities is increasingly common. Using a paired
sampling design we compared the effect of selective logging at four different ages (3, 7, 9 and 22 years
after logged) over the SOC content up to 2 m. SOC between unmanaged forests have shown no significant
differences indicating fairly homogeneous conditions across the study area. SOC under logging sites
showed significant differences between them and with the former forest not only at surface but also at
depth. Our results indicate a net decrease in SOC during the first years followed by an increase during the
following years, reaching a maximum net increase of 4.65 kg m-2 to a 2 m soil depth after 22 years.
Although these results need to be replicated including sites on a broader range of times after logging, the
actual rates of C change found after disturbance were surprisingly fast, affecting not only surface SOC but
also C stored at depth. A change of this magnitude could have deep consequences on regional soil fertility
and the global C cycle.