Effects of site preparation for afforestation on methane fluxes at Harwood Forest, NE England

Abstract

A field experiment was established at Harwood Forest to investigate the effects of three forest management practises (drainage, mounding and fertilisation) on methane (CH4) emissions and environmental variables (soil temperature, soil moisture content, water table depth) from 2006 to 2008. The relationship between CH4 emissions and environmental variables was also evaluated. The experiment was laid out in a factorial split-plot design on grassland in a peaty gley soil. Drainage increased daytime soil temperature at all depths. Mounding increased soil temperature at 1 and 5 cm depth. Soil moisture content was decreased by drainage and mounding. All practises affected soil CH4 emissions with drainage reducing emissions by 57–76% and mounding and fertilisation increasing emissions by 34–59 and 20–59%, respectively. Water table depth was the major factor controlling CH4 emissions.