HIGHLIGHTS
The physical properties of the Nitossolo Bruno showed small changes between the pine forest area and the post-harvest forest area.
Mechanized harvesting in the forest area does not compromise the soil water properties to a depth of 40 centimeters.
The Nitossolo Bruno maintains its structural integrity even after the forest mechanical harvesting operations.
ABSTRACT
Santa Catarina State, in the South region of Brazil, has 713 thousand hectares of pine forests. Harvesting operations of this species can degrade the soil, especially when carried out on very wet soil. However, there is little information on the impact of pine harvesting on the physical properties of the soil in this region. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Pinus taeda L. harvesting on the physical properties of a Nitossolo Bruno distrófico típico. Two areas were selected for the evaluations: a 17-year-old planted pine forest and a harvested forest area. Soil samples were collected from 0.40-m-depth soil pits in the 0.00-0.10, 0.10-0.20, and 0.20-0.40 m layers to evaluate soil bulk density, porosity (total, macro, and micro), aggregate stability, penetration resistance, field capacity, permanent wilting point, available water, aeration capacity, and saturated hydraulic conductivity. There was modification between the two areas in properties related to porosity, aeration, water retention, hydraulic conductivity, penetration resistance, and aggregate stability. Macroporosity and aeration capacity remained above the limit of 0.10 m3 m-3, even with intense machine traffic at harvest. In the pine harvesting area, hydraulic conductivity was higher and penetration resistance was lower in the deepest layer. Before and after forest harvesting, penetration resistance was less than 3.5 MPa in all the layers evaluated, a value considered not to be restrictive to root growth and development. The mean aggregate diameter in the harvested forest area is 7 % lower compared to the pine forest area in the 0.00-0.10 m layer and 12 % lower compared to the 0.10-0.20 m layer. Therefore, mechanized harvesting of pine in the tree-length system led to little modification of the physical properties of the Nitossolo Bruno in the Planalto Sul (Southern Plateau) region of Santa Catarina.
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