Impacts of Logging-Associated Compaction on Forest Soils: A Meta-Analysis

Soil compaction associated with mechanized wood harvesting can long-lastingly disturb forest soils, ecosystem function, and productivity. Sustainable management requires precise deep knowledge of logging operation impacts on which be attained by meta-analysis studies covering representative datasets. We performed a the impact logging-associated soils microbial biomass carbon (MBC), bulk density, total porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity (K sat ) affected two factors (machine weight passage frequency), soil (texture depth), time passed since event. Compaction significantly decreased MBC ?29.5% only in subsoils (>30 cm). Overall, increased density 8.9% reduced porosity K ?10.1 ?40.2%, respectively. The most striking finding this is that greatest disturbance to occurs after very frequent (>20) machine passages. This contradicts existing claims damage happens few Furthermore, analyzed physical variables did not recover normal level within period 3–6 years. Thus, altering these properties function productivity, because they play important roles water air supply as well biogeochemical cycling ecosystems. To minimize impact, we recommend selection suitable machines decreasing frequency passages out rainy seasons especially clayey soils. It also skid trail coverage for sustainable management.