Harmon, Mark E.; Garman, Steven L.; Ferrell, William K. 1996. Modeling historical patterns of tree utilization in the Pacific Northwest: carbon sequestration implications. Ecological Applications. 6(2): 641-652.
We have developed a model, HARVEST, that predicts the mass of woodydetritus left after timber harvest in Pacific Northwest forests from 1910 to the present.Inputs to the model include the species, diameter at breast height, and age distribution oftrees; the minimum tree size to be harvested; the minimum top diameter; and stump heightand slope steepness. Model output includes the absolute amount and the proportion of bolebiomass removed as well as that left as stumps, tops, breakage, and decay. The model alsopredicts the biomass of nonmerchantable parts such as branches, coarse roots, and fineroots left after harvest. Model predictions were significantly correlated to residue levelsreported in the literature over this period. Both model output and historical data indicatethat the total amount of aboveground woody residue left after logging has decreased atleast 25% over the last century. This means that release of carbon to the atmosphere fromwoody residue has decreased by a similar amount.
Key words: carbon sequestration: coarse woody debris; disturbance; fine woody debris; fire fuels:logging residue: modeling; Pacific Northwest; woody detritus.