Assessment of ground-based skidding impacts on the horizontally rate and extent of soil disturbance along the margin of the skid trail

International audienceAbstract Key messageSkidding operations significantly influenced soil physical properties up to a 2-m distance from the wheel ruts in a forest ecosystem. The most significant changes in soil properties were identified within a 0.5 m to 1 m transitional zone. AimsThe main purpose of this investigation was to determine how far into a forest stand changes in soil physical properties were evident due to skidding operations. MethodsTreatment plots with three replications included combinations of four distance zones at 0.5 m intervals (0 to 2 m in distance) on both sides of skid trail edges to the forest, three slope gradient levels were applied (gentle 20 %) and two levels of traffic intensities 20 and 40 passes (with a rubber-tyred skidder, model HSM 904). A total of 576 soil samples were used in this study. ResultsResults showed that the physical properties of soil were significantly changed by each traffic intensity in the first distance zone, where the slope was >20 % compared to soil changes at a slope of 20 % after 20 and 40 skidding cycles. DiscussionDry bulk density values reached its maximum levels in the first 0.5 m from the skid trail on slopes >20 % after 40 skidding cycles