Al. Sippola et al., AMOUNT AND QUALITY OF COARSE WOODY DEBRIS IN NATURAL AND MANAGED CONIFEROUS FORESTS NEAR THE TIMBERLINE IN FINNISH LAPLAND, Scandinavian journal of forest research, 13(2), 1998, pp. 204-214
Amount and structural characteristics of coarse woody debris (CWD) wer
e studied in 44 stands of old-growth and managed coniferous forests in
Finnish Lapland. The average volume of CWD in old-growth forests vari
ed from 19 m(3) ha(-1) in pine forests to 60 m(3) ha(-1) in herb-rich
spruce-dominated forests. The volumes of living and dead timber were h
ighly correlated, the most productive sites having the highest volumes
. In old-growth forests about 60-70% of the CWD was logs, 30-40% stand
ing dead trees and snags, and 3.5-7% stumps and branches. The amount o
f CWD decreased considerably in clear-cutting, but increased or remain
ed the same in seed-tree and selective cuttings In the short term. How
ever, the accumulation rate of new dead material was greatly reduced a
fter cutting. In 40-year-old seed-tree cutting areas the new supply of
CWD, created by recent disturbance and mortality, was less than 1% of
the respective amount in old-growth forest. All cutting methods reduc
ed standing dead trees and snags considerably.