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Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Methods of Soil Resampling to Monitor Changes in the Chemical Concentrations of Forest Soils
Published on: November 25, 2016
Response of dissolved organic carbon following forest harvesting in a boreal forest
Hjalmar Laudon1, Johannes Hedtjärn, Jakob Schelker
1Forest Ecology and Management, SLU, Umeå, Sweden. hjalmar.laudon@seksko.slu.se
Abstract:
To determine if forestry affects stream water dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations, we conducted high frequency water sampling at a clear-cut catchment experiment in northern Sweden 1 year after harvesting. The overall finding was that harvesting significantly increased stream water DOC in these boreal forest catchments, at least during the growing season. The results indicate a DOC concentration increase of up to 50% during early summer on the two harvested catchments relative to the two control catchments. The analysis supports the hypothesis that a raised groundwater level following harvesting caused the increased DOC concentration during both hydrological episodes and low flow conditions. Harvesting resulted in a 70% increase in DOC export due to the combined effect of runoff and DOC concentration during the June-October study period. Given the extent of forestry activity in the boreal landscape, these results demonstrate that tree harvesting will affect the water quality of the region.
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