The impact of logging residue on soil GHG fluxes in a drained peatland forest

Northern peatlands contain substantial reservoirs of carbon (C). Forestry activities endanger the C storages in some of these areas. While the initial impacts of forestry drainage on peatland greenhouse gas (GHG) balance have been studied, the impacts of other silvicultural practices, e.g. logging residue (LR) retention or removal, are not known. We measured the CH4, N2O and CO2 fluxes between peat soil and atmosphere with and without decomposing LR over three (2002–2004) seasons (May–Oct) following clearfelling in a drained peatland forest, along with the mass loss of LR. Seasonal average CO2 efflux from plots with LR (3070 g CO2 m−2 season−1) was twice as high as that from plots without LR (1447 g CO2 m−2 season−1). Less than 40% of this difference was accounted for by the decay of logging residues (530 g CO2 m−2 season−1), so the majority of the increased CO2 efflux was caused by increased soil organic matter decomposition under the LR. Furthermore LR increased soil N2O fluxes over 3-fold (0.70 g N2O m−2 season−1), compared to plots without LR (0.19 g N2O m−2 season−1), while no change in CH4 emissions was observed. Our results indicate that LR retention in clearfelled peatland sites may significantly increase GHG emissions and C release from the soil organic matter C storage. This would make the harvesting of LR for biofuel more beneficial, in the form of avoided emissions. Further investigations of the sources of CO2 under logging residues are, however, needed to confirm this finding.

► We show for the first time the effects of logging residue retention on soil GHG fluxes in a forested peatland.
► Logging residue increased soil CO2 evolution.
► Decomposition of soil organic matter i.e. peat was increased under the logging residue.
► Logging residue caused over 3-fold increase in soil N2O fluxes.
► The effect of clearfelling on soil GHG fluxes in a peatland forest strongly depends on whether the logging residue is left on the site or removed.