Impact of thinning and contour-felled logs on overland flow, soil erosion, and litter erosion in a monoculture Japanese cypress forest plantation

Moein Farahnak and Takanori Sato and Nobuaki Tanaka and Anand Nainar and Ibtisam Mohd Ghaus and Koichiro Kuraji (2024) Impact of thinning and contour-felled logs on overland flow, soil erosion, and litter erosion in a monoculture Japanese cypress forest plantation. Water, 16. pp. 1-16.

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URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/20/2874

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of thinning and felled logs (random- and contour-felled logs) on overland flow, soil erosion, and litter erosion in a Japanese cypress forest plantation (2400 tree ha−1) with low ground cover, from 2018 to 2023 in central Japan. Monthly measurements of overland flow and soil and litter erosion were carried out using small-sized traps across three plots (two treatments and one control). In early 2020, a 40% thinning (tree ha−1) was conducted in the two treatment plots. Overland flow increased in the plot with random-felled logs during the first year post-thinning (from 139.1 to 422.0 L m−1), while it remained stable in the plot with contour-felled logs (from 341.8 to 337.1 L m−1). A paired-plot analysis showed no change in overland flow in the contour-felled logs plot compared to the control plot from the pre- to post-thinning periods (pre-thinning Y = 0.41X − 0.69, post-thinning Y = 0.5X + 5.46, ANCOVA: p > 0.05). However, exposure to direct rainfall on uncovered ground areas post-thinning led to increased soil and litter erosion in both treatment plots. These findings suggest that thinning combined with contour-felled logs effectively stabilizes overland flow. Therefore, thinning with contour-felled logs can be considered a viable method for mitigating overland flow in monoculture plantations with low ground cover.

Item Type:	Article
Keyword:	Erosion control, Forest hydrology, Forest management practices, Hillslope hydrology, Runoff generation, Soil conservation
Subjects:	S Agriculture > SD Forestry > SD1-669.5 Forestry S Agriculture > SD Forestry > SD1-669.5 Forestry > SD390-390.43 Forest soils
Department:	FACULTY > Faculty of Tropical Forestry
Depositing User:	SITI AZIZAH BINTI IDRIS -
Date Deposited:	10 Dec 2024 15:10
Last Modified:	10 Dec 2024 15:10
URI:	https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/42194

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