Short-term effects of site preparation practices for afforestation on soil properties

A field study was conducted at Harwood Forest, NE England to investigate the effects of forest management practices (drainage, mounding and fertilisation on soil properties from 2006 to 2008. The experiment was laid out in a factorial split plot design on grassland in peaty gley soil. Mounding increased soil bulk density, while drainage reduced carbon concentration in 0 10 cm layer. Soil organic carbon concentration in the 0 10 cm layer was increased by fertilisation. Mounding did not have any effect in soil organic carbon. The concentration of nitrogen in the in 0 10 cm was significantly reduced by drainage and was not affected by mounding or fertilisation. Soil microbial biomass carbon was not affected by drainage, mounding or fertilisation. Ammonium (NH4+) was significantly increased by mounding and fertilisation, while none of the treatment affected nitrate (NO3 ) availability.