Me. Harmon et al., MODELING HISTORICAL PATTERNS OF TREE UTILIZATION IN THE PACIFIC-NORTHWEST - CARBON SEQUESTRATION IMPLICATIONS, Ecological applications, 6(2), 1996, pp. 641-652
We have developed a model, HARVEST, that predicts the mass of woody de
tritus left after timber harvest in Pacific Northwest forests from 191
0 to the present. Inputs to the model include the species, diameter at
breast height, and age distribution of trees; the minimum tree size t
o be harvested; the minimum top diameter; and stump height and slope s
teepness. Model output includes the absolute amount and the proportion
of bole biomass removed as well as that left as stumps, tops, breakag
e, and decay. The model also predicts the biomass of nonmerchantable p
arts such as branches, coarse roots, and fine roots left after harvest
. Model predictions were significantly correlated to residue levels re
ported in the literature over this period. Both model output and histo
rical data indicate that the total amount of aboveground woody residue
left after logging has decreased at least 25% over the last century.
This means that release of carbon to the atmosphere from woody residue
has decreased by a similar amount.