Impacts of harvesting methods on nutrient removal in Dutch forests exposed to high-nitrogen deposition
Key message
Nutrient concentrations in tree compartments were assessed for seven major tree species in the Netherlands. Concentrations of phosphorus, calcium, potassium and magnesium (base cations) in stems and branches are mostly lower compared to those in other countries, while nitrogen concentrations are higher. A long-term nitrogen deposition has likely contributed to these differences. The average growth has not declined, despite the low availability of phosphorus and base cations. Limiting the harvest of branch wood is suggested on nutrient poor soils to avoid depletion of phosphorus and base cations.
Keywords
Stem wood harvest; Whole-tree harvest; Wood nutrient concentrations; Nutrient balance; Nitrogen deposition; Base cation depletion
Publication
de Jong, A., de Vries, W., Kros, H. et al. Impacts of harvesting methods on nutrient removal in Dutch forests exposed to high-nitrogen deposition. Annals of Forest Science 79, 33 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13595-022-01149-5
Data and/or Code availability
The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available in the repository https://doi.org/10.4121/19705156
Handling Editor
Erwin Dreyer
