Boone, Richard D.; Sollins, Phillip; Cromack, Kermit Jr. 1988. Stand and soil changes along a mountain hemlock death and regrowth sequence. Ecology. 69(3): 714-722.
Stand characteristics, dead wood, and soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) poolswere measured through a wave-regenerated sequence of mountain hemlock death andregrowth created by Phellinus weirii. Stem density increased along the 96-yr regrowthsequence, but was low in the 225-yr-old, mature stand. Total ecosystem C (TEC) droppedupon stand death and did not recover. Net ecosystem production (NEP) was negative justafter stand death and zero thereafter.
The 02 horizon and the forest floor (01 + 02) had greater mass, organic matter, andN capital in the mature stand than in the bare or regrowth zones. From the mature standto the bare zone, forest-floor organic matter decreased 27% and C and N 24%. The forest-floor N decrease was offset by an equal N increase in the mineral soil at 0-15 cm depth.Mineral-soil C, as well as C and N for the sum of the forest floor + mineral soil, wereconstant across the death and regrowth sequence. The C/N ratio peaked for 01 material,and reached its minimum for fine roots, in the bare zone.
Key words: dead wood; forest floor; mountain hemlock; net ecosystem production; nitrogen; organicmatter; Phellinus weirii; stem density; subalpine.