Pathways of fungal necromass in the soil as affected by continuous-cover forestry and rotation forest management

Our aim is to assess forest management effects on the soil fungal community and infer implications for soil carbon storage and quality.

Trees take up carbon and allocate it belowground as root exudates which feed soil microbes. Microbial necromass is a major part of the soil carbon pool, notably stabilized mineral-associated organic matter.

Tree harvesting alters this underground carbon supply. Particularly clear-cutting, applied in rotation forest management, affects the soil fungal community and may change stabilization processes of soil fungal necromass. Continuous-cover forestry may be an alternative to sustain fungal community and soil carbon storage. In the project, we compare the effects of the two management systems.

We are implementing a field study of Scots pine forests in the Southern Finland. We use analyses of soil fungal DNA, physical fractionation of soil carbon and glucosamine as a biomarker for fungal necromass.

Target group

Finnish forestry sector and forest owners

Operating area

Southern Finland