Short-term effects of forest restoration management on non-symbiotic nitrogen-fixation in western Montana

Forest restoration treatments involving selection harvest and prescribed fire have been applied throughout the Rocky Mountain West with only a limited understanding of how these treatments influence plant community composition and soil processes. Forest restoration treatments, especially those involving fire, have the potential to reduce N capital on site. Unfortunately there has been only limited effort to investigate the effects of forest restoration treatments on forest ecosystem N inputs, especially free living N-fixation in soil and woody residues. Recent studies have highlighted the potential for decaying woody roots to serve as hot spots for N-fixation. The fire and fire surrogates (FFS) study site at Lubrecht Experimental Forest in Western Montana provided a unique opportunity to investigate the effect of restoration treatments on N-fixation. We set out to examine how prescribed fire, selection harvest, and a combination of both influence free living N-fixing bacteria that colonize decomposing woody roots, mineral soil, and soil crusts. Soil, root, and soil crust samples were collected from replicated treatment plots in August 2005 and soil samples were recollected in May 2006 just following snowmelt. Acetylene reduction assays were run on all samples, and extractable inorganic N and potentially mineralizable N (PMN) were measured in mineral soil. While restoration treatments caused an increase in dead roots associated with stumps and fire killed trees, N-fixation rates were nearly non-existent in these root systems. Nitrogen-fixation rates were not significantly influenced by treatments in decomposing woody roots or in mineral soil, but were slightly greater (P < 0.10) in soil crusts when the control stand was compared to treated plots. Nitrogen-fixation rates were also greater in mineral soil than in roots. Soil collected in August exhibited greater rates of N-fixation than soil collected in May which we attributed to higher moisture and an increase in available N following spring thaw. Average rates of free living N-fixation across the treatment plots at Lubrecht were low (0.26 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹), but over time we estimate that these sources, along with the sparse population of symbiotic N-fixing plants and wet N deposition, would replenish soil N lost through fire or harvesting in approximately 40–100 years.     

Modelling impacts of changes in carbon dioxide concentration,climate and nitrogen deposition on carbon sequestration by European forests and forest soils

Changes in the Earth's atmosphere are expected to influence the growth, and therefore, carbon accumulation of European forests. We identify three major changes: (1) a rise in carbon dioxide concentration, (2) climate change, resulting in higher temperatures and changes in precipitation and (3) a decrease in nitrogen deposition. We adjusted and applied the hydrological model Watbal, the soil model SMART2 and the vegetation model SUMO2 to asses the effect of expected changes in the period 1990 up to 2070 on the carbon accumulation in trees and soils of 166 European forest plots. The models were parameterized using measured soil and vegetation parameters and site-specific changes in temperature, precipitation and nitrogen deposition. The carbon dioxide concentration was assumed to rise uniformly across Europe. The results were compared to a reference scenario consisting of a constant CO₂ concentration and deposition scenario. The temperature and precipitation scenario was a repetition of the period between 1960 and 1990. All scenarios were compared to the reference scenario for biomass growth and carbon sequestration for both the soil and the trees.     

Thinning and prescribed fire effects on dwarf mistletoe severity in an eastern Cascade Range dry forest,Washington

Forest thinning and prescribed fire practices are widely used, either separately or in combination, to address tree stocking, species composition, and wildland fire concerns in western US mixed conifer forests. We examined the effects of these fuel treatments alone and combined on dwarf mistletoe infection severity immediately after treatment and for the following 100 years. Thinning, burning, thin + burn, and control treatments were applied to 10 ha units; each treatment was replicated three times. Dwarf mistletoe was found in ponderosa pine and/or Douglas-fir in all units prior to treatment. Stand infection severity was low to moderate, and severely infected trees were the largest in the overstory. Thinning produced the greatest reductions in tree stocking and mistletoe severity. Burning reduced stocking somewhat less because spring burns were relatively cool with spotty fuel consumption and mortality. Burning effects on vegetation were enhanced when combined with thinning; thin + burn treatments also reduced mistletoe severity in all size classes. Stand growth simulations using the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) showed a trend of reduced mistletoe spread and intensification over time for all active treatments. When thinned and unthinned treatments were compared, thinning reduced infected basal area and treatment effects were obvious, beginning in the second decade. The same was true with burned and unburned treatments. Treatment effects on infected tree density were similar to infected basal area; however, treatment effects diminished after 20 years, suggesting a re-treatment interval for dwarf mistletoe.     

Soil organic matter in a ponderosa pine forest with varying seasons and intervals of prescribed burn

Prescribed burning is used to reduce fuel loads and return ponderosa pine forests of the Western U.S. to their historical structure and function. The impact of prescribed burning on soil is dependent on fire severity which is largely managed by burning in the fall or the spring; frequency of fire will also regulate long-term fire impacts. The objective of this study was to determine if soils and soil organic matter (SOM) were affected by prescribed burning in the fall or the spring using singular or multiple prescribed burns. Prescribed burning was initiated in the spring of 1997 and fall of 1997 at 5-year intervals and once during a 15-year period on a study site located within the Malheur National Forest of the southern Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. Soils were sampled by major genetic horizon in 2004. The 5-year interval plots had burned twice with 1–2 years of recovery while the 15-year interval plots had burned only once with 6–7 years of recovery. Samples were analyzed for pH, carbon (C), nitrogen (N), C/N ratio, cation exchange capacity, base saturation, water repellency, and humic substance composition by alkali extraction. Fall burning decreased C and N capital of the soil (O horizon +30 cm depth mineral soil) by 22–25%. Prescribed burning did not have an effect on fulvic or humic acid C concentration (FA and HA, respectively) of the mineral soil and only a minor effect on FA and HA concentration of the O horizon. One or two fall burns decreased humin and the alkali non-soluble C (NS) content of O horizon by 15 and 30%, respectively. Initiating fall burning in fire-suppressed stands may not preserve soil C, N, humin, and NS content, but may replicate the natural fire regime. Spring burning using a return interval of 5 or more years reduces the fuel load while having little impact on soil C, N, and SOM composition and may be used to prepare a site for subsequent fall burns.     

The effects of thinning and burning treatments on within-canopy variation of leaf traits in hardwood forests of southern Ohio

Leaf nitrogen content (N_mass, %) and leaf mass per area (LMA, g m⁻²) are two important features that are closely linked to the photosynthetic performance of plants and, thus, the NPP of forest ecosystems. Forest management practices, such as burning and thinning, change stand structure and soil dynamics, which may result in changes in N_mass and LMA. The objective of this study was to understand how N_mass and LMA of seven canopy tree species/genus (Quercus alba, Q. coccinea, Q. prinus, Q. velutina, Carya spp., Acer rubrum, and Liriodendron tulipifera) responded to (i) thinning and/or burning treatments and to (ii) different landscape and soil properties in southern Ohio. We collected leaves from the top, and bottom, of five individuals of each taxa in each treatment unit. Leave traits (N_mass and LMA) were compared using analysis of variance followed by orthogonal contrasts. To further understand the factors that influence the canopy leaf traits, we used regression tree analysis (RTA) to examine how variations of LMA and N_mass were linked to thinning and/or burning treatments, soil, and landscape variables. Finally, we assessed the potential ramifications of changes in these traits on canopy carbon budgets using a PnET-Day model, which is a daily time-step canopy carbon exchange model. We found significant effects of thinning, burning, and their interactions on LMA at the bottom of the crown while none of the treatments showed significant effects on LMA at the top of the crown. N_mass responded significantly to only burning treatment. RTA results exhibited minor effects of landscape features and soil properties on N_mass and LMA. Interspecific differences accounted for most variations of both leaf traits. Sensitivity analysis of PnET-Day model suggested these subcanopy changes in LMA increased the annual net primary production (NPP) by 8%. In summary, our results suggest that forest management can substantially influence canopy leaf traits such as N_mass and LMA and that alteration of these traits can influence forest NPP. Given the role of forests as global carbon sinks, the potential influence of thinning and burning on canopy traits, and thus NPP, is an important consideration for forest management.     

The effects of burning and dead-wood creation on the diversity of pioneer wood-inhabiting fungi in managed boreal spruce forests

The loss of natural forest habitats due to forestry is the main reason for the decline in boreal forest biodiversity of the Nordic countries of Europe. Ecological rehabilitation may provide means to recover and sustain biodiversity. We analyzed the effects of controlled burning and dead-wood creation (DWC) on the diversity of pioneer wood-inhabiting fungi in managed Norway spruce (Picea abies) forests in southern Finland. Altogether 18 stands were first subjected to a partial cutting with ordinary logging residues in form of cut stumps and treetops left on site. The subsequent rehabilitation treatments consisted of a controlled burning applied in half of the stands and three levels of dead-wood creation (5, 30 and 60 m³ ha⁻¹). The DWC involved creation of logs; felling of whole trees to mimic downed logs formed by natural disturbance processes. Each treatment was replicated three times. Inside each stand, substrates were sampled in two different biotopes; one on mineral soil and one on mineral soil with a thin peat layer. We surveyed the fungal flora on the logs (n = 364) and the ordinary residue stumps (n = 1767) and tops (n = 845) five years after the treatments.When comparing different stands, controlled burning had a significant effect on species composition; certain species were significantly more frequent on substrates in burned stands than in unburned stands, indicating that these species were favored by controlled burning. By contrast, we found no significant effects of DWC levels or biotope on species composition or richness. When comparing different substrates, 99% of the logs hosted at least one species and the occurrence probability of certain species was significantly higher on logs than on ordinary residue stumps and tops. Yet, volume-based rarefaction analyses showed that residues were more species dense than the logs, indicating that ordinary logging residues constitute important resources for many pioneer species.We conclude that controlled burning combined with DWC have strong effects on biodiversity; it modifies the composition of the pioneer wood-inhabiting fungal species found in managed forests and may thereby also influence the further succession and diversity of the secondary fungal flora.     

Effect of burning and brush treatments on nutrient and soil physical properties in young longleaf pine stands

Over a period of 16 years, unburned longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) pole stands grew an average of 27% more volume than similar stands regularly burned. Treatments included biennial burns in winter, spring, and summer plus an unburned check, each of which was combined with three supplemental treatments, namely, initial herbicide injection of all hardwoods, repeated handclearing of all woody stems, and no treatment. All unburned and winter-burned plots were paired to study this growth reduction relative to treatments. The status of nitrogen, phosphorus, available moisture holding capacity, bulk density, and macropore space was determined in both surface and subsurface soils. Foliage from pines on sampled plots was analyzed for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Cu, Fe, and Zn. Burning did not significantly affect either soil N and P or foliar nutrients. However, burning reduced available moisture holding capacity and macropore space and increased the bulk density of surface soils, and also reduced the moisture-holding capacity of subsurface soils. The results from this and other studies suggest that growth losses are due, at least in part, to increased moisture stress associated with changes in soil physical properties.     

上海沿海防护林土壤理化性质分析

用常规方法调查了上海沿海防护林中具有代表性的7个林带:欧美杨、杂交柳、杜英、水杉、柳杉、池杉、东方杉林的林分基本特征,并对林下土壤进行了理化性质分析。研究结果表明:除杜英和东方杉林因林龄太小无法比较外,其他5种林分的生长快慢依次是:欧美杨、杂交柳、池杉、水杉、柳杉;由于树种不同、造林时间不等,7种林分对土壤的改良作用也不同,表现出林龄大的比林龄小的改良效果好,水杉林的土壤改良效果最好,欧美杨树林的土壤改良效果最差。     

Clear felling and burning effects on soil nitrogen transforming bacteria and actinomycetes population in Chittagong University campus, Bangladesh

The effect of forests clear felling and associated burning on the population of soil nitrogen transforming bacteria and actinomycetes are reported at three pair sites of Chittagong University campus, Bangladesh in monsoon tropical climate. Clear felled area or burnt site and 15-21 year mixed plantation of native and exotic species, situated side by side on low hill having Typic Dystrochrepts soil was represented at each pair site. At all the three pair sites, clear felled area or burnt site showed very significantly (p≤0.001) lower population of actinomycetes, Rhizobium, Nitrosomonas, Nitrobacter and ammonifying as well as denitrifying bacteria compared to their adjacent mixed plantation. From environmental consideration, this finding has implication in managing natural ecosystem.     

Carbon and nitrogen in forest soils: Potential indicators for sustainable management of eucalypt forests in south-eastern Australia

Soil organic matter (SOM) has been adopted as an indicator of soil fertility based on the rationale that SOM contributes significantly to soil physical, chemical, and biological properties that affect vital ecosystem processes of forests in Australia. A study was undertaken to evaluate the utility of SOM as an indicator of SFM at two long-term experimental sites in native eucalypt forests, including Silvertop Ash (E. sieberi L. Johnson) and Mountain Ash (E. regnans F. Muell.) in Victoria. This study examines the relative contributions made by various sources of carbon in soil profiles (0–30 cm) of forest soils, viz. mineral soil (<2 mm), plant residues, charcoal (>2 mm), and rock fragments (>2 mm). The long-term changes in these fractions in response to management-induced soil physical disturbance and fire (unburnt, moderate and high intensity) were evaluated. After 10 years, carbon levels in the fine soil fraction (soil <2 mm including fine charcoal) were similar across the range of fire disturbance classes in Mountain Ash forest (20–25 kg/m²) and Silvertop Ash forest (7–8 kg/m²). Likewise differences in carbon associated with other fractions, viz. microbial biomass, labile carbon, plant residues and rock fragments were comparatively small and could not be attributed to fire disturbance. Burning increased the charcoal carbon fraction from 5 to 23 kg/m² in Mountain Ash forest and from 1 to 3 kg/m² in Silvertop Ash forest. Taking into account, the percentage area affected by fire, increases in total soil carbon in these forests were estimated at 25 and 7 t/ha, respectively.

The effects of physical disturbance of soils were examined at one site in Mountain Ash forest where soil cultivation was used as site preparation rather than the standard practice of burning of logging residues. Total carbon in soil profiles decreased from 29 to 21 kg/m² where soil disturbance was severe, i.e. topsoil removed and subsoil disturbed. This was mainly due to a decrease in charcoal carbon from 6.8 to 1.7 kg/m² but severe soil disturbance also increased the amount of carbon associated with rock fragments from 1.6 to 3.5 kg/m².

Management-induced fire increased the coarse charcoal content of soil profiles substantially, thus increasing total carbon content as well as the proportion of recalcitrant carbon in SOM. In contrast, there was little change in the carbon content of the fine soil fraction including the labile and biologically active fractions indicating that these SOM fractions most relevant to ecosystem processes showed little long-term impact from soil disturbance and fire. Conventional sampling of the fine soil fraction (<2 mm) only represented between 50% and 70% of total carbon in the soil profiles. In contrast, total nitrogen in this fraction represented between 75% and 90% of the nitrogen in soil profiles and was less affected by changes in the contributions of N made by coarse fractions. Monitoring of soil N rather than C as an indicator of soil fertility and SFM may be more appropriate for forest soils with significant charcoal content.     

Review of study on mineralization, saturation and cycle of Nitrogen in forest ecosystems

Nitrogen is one of the most important elements that can limit plant growth in forest ecosystems. Studies of nitrogen mineralization, nitrogen saturation and nitrogen cycle in forest ecosystems is very necessary for understanding the productivity of stand, nutrient cycle and turnover of nitrogen of forest ecosystems. Based on comparison and analysis of domestic and international academic references related to studies on nitrogen mineralization, nitrogen saturation and nitrogen cycle in recent 10 years, the current situation and development of the study on these aspects, and the problems existed in current researches were reviewed. At last, some advices were given for future researches.     

亚热带几种森林类型下土壤的理化性质

在福建省邵武市卫闽林场，在本底条件一致的同龄杉木林、马尾松林、天然阔叶林及杉阔混交林林下土壤进行了野外调查和室内分析，结果表明，土壤容量重为天然阔叶林〈杉阔混交林〈马尾松林〈杉木林；总孔隙度和最大含水量为天然阔叶林〉杉阔混交林〉杉木林〉马尾松林；〈０．００１细微颗粒百分含量为阔叶林〈杉阔混交林〈杉木林〈马尾林；土壤ＰＨ伙阔叶林〉杉阔混交林〉马尾松林〉杉木林，速效Ｐ，速率Ｋ，全Ｎ和有机质含量均为阔叶     

环洞庭湖防护林的土壤理化性状研究

以环洞庭湖12种主要造林模式防护林为研究对象,对其进行土壤取样和分析,研究环洞庭湖防护林土壤理化性状.结果表明:环洞庭湖区防护林土壤养分处于中高水平,但速效磷比较贫乏;不同造林模式防护林的土壤理化性状存在显著差异,特别是速效氮、速效钾、容重和pH值,其差异性均达到了极显著水平,其中杉木+木荷等针阔混交模式防护林的土壤理...     

The effects of wildfire, salvage logging, and post-fire N-fixation on the nutrient budgets of a Sierran forest

The effects of fire, post-fire salvage logging, and revegetation on nutrient budgets were estimated for a site in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains that burned in a wildfire in 1981. Approximately two decades after the fire, the shrub (former fire) ecosystem contained less C and more N than the adjacent forest ecosystem. Reconstruction of pre-fire nutrient budgets suggested that most C was exported in biomass during salvage logging and will not be recovered until forest vegetation occupies the site again. Salvage logging may have resulted in longer-term C sequestration in wood products than would have occurred had the logs been left in the field to decay, however. Reconstructed budgets suggested that most N was lost via volatilization during the fire rather than in post-fire salvage logging (assuming that foliage and O horizons were combusted). Comparisons of the pre-fire and present day N budgets also suggested that the lost N was rapidly replenished in O horizons and mineral soils, probably due to N-fixation by snowbush (Ceanothus velutinus Dougl.), the dominant shrub on the former fire site. There were no significant differences in ecosystem P, K, or S contents and no consistent, significant differences in soil extractable P or S between the shrub and forested plots. Exchangeable K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺ were consistently and significantly greater in shrub than in adjacent forested soils, however, and the differences were much larger than could be accounted for by estimated ash inputs. In the case of Ca, even the combustion of all aboveground organic matter could not account for more than a fraction of the difference in exchangeable pools. We speculate that the apparent large increased in soil and ecosystem Ca content resulted from either the release of Ca from non-exchangeable forms in the soil or the rapid uptake and recycling of Ca by post-fire vegetation.     

Effects of forest harvesting on runoff and sediment characteristics in the Hyrcanian forests,northern Iran

Loss of canopy cover by forest harvesting generally increases the average surface runoff volume and sediment. Selective cutting (single and group selection method) is the most usual forest harvesting method in the Hyrcanian forests in the north of Iran. The purpose of this study is to find the effect of selective logging technique on the hydrological behavior of runoff and sediment in the Kheyrud forests located in northern Iran over 1 year. Four treatments were implemented: natural forest without harvesting (C), forest with selective harvesting (H) and area without canopy cover (WC) and skid trail (S). Three types of data were measured in each plot including soil chemical and physical properties, runoff and sediment load after each rainfall. The results indicate significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) in runoff generation and sediment production with respect to the treatments cover. The runoff in all treatments showed relatively similar response to rainfall, while the highest runoff and sediment were observed in skid trails, and the area without canopy cover (1.13 and 0.62 mm, and 1.2 and 0.51 g m^?2), averagely. In contrast, the natural forest without harvesting and the forest with selective harvesting treatments exhibited the lowest amounts of runoff (0.2 and 0.44 mm) and sediment (0.1 and 0.17 g m^?2), averagely. Implementation of low logging technique was useful to control the effects of logging on the runoff and sediment yield.     

Burning of Amazonian forest in Ariquemes, Rondônia, Brazil: biomass, charcoal formation and burning efficiency

Biomass burning in tropical forests – the normal practice to prepare land for agriculture and ranching – has been a major source of CO₂ emitted to the atmosphere. Mass transformations by burning are still little studied in the tropics. The present study estimated parameters, such as the stock of carbon contained in the biomass, burning efficiency and the formation of charcoal and ashes in a tropical moist forest. Two sets of plots arranged in the form of ‘stars' (720 m² total) were installed in a 3.5 ha area of forest that had been felled for planting pasture at Fazenda Nova Vida, Ariquemes, Rondônia. Each ‘star' had six rays measuring 2 m × 30 m; alternating rays were designated for pre-burn and post-burn measurements. All above-ground biomass present in the plots was weighed directly before the burn in the pre-burn rays and after the burn in the post-burn rays. Pieces of wood with diameter ≥10 cm also had their biomasses estimated from volume estimates, using line-intersect sampling (LIS) in order to increase the area of sampling and to allow volume loss to be estimated as an increment based on individual pieces measured before, and after, the burn at the same point (as opposed to inferring change as a difference between independent estimates of stocks). The initial above-ground biomass (dry weight) before the burn was estimated at 306.5 ± 48.6 (mean ± SE) Mg ha⁻¹, with an additional 4.5 Mg ha⁻¹ for trees left standing. Carbon stock in the initial biomass (including trees left standing) was 141.3 (Mg C) ha⁻¹. After burning, carbon stock was reduced by 36.8% (burning efficiency). The stocks of charcoal and ash formed in the burn were, respectively, 6.4 ± 2.7 and 5.7 ± 1.0 Mg ha⁻¹. The destructive and nondestructive (LIS) methods did not differ significantly (t-test, p > 0.05) in estimating post-burn stocks of wood and charcoal. The results of this study contribute to improving the estimates of parameters needed for global carbon calculations and point to ways in which estimates of these parameters could be further improved.     

西藏天然林保护工程对森工企业的影响及对策的研究

随着我国长江中上游天保工程的实施，林芝地区的森工企业也将面临更多的困难。本文分析了形成我区森工企业目前困境的原因，并提出了解决的具体措施。     

Effects of strip wise tillage in combination with liming on chemical and physical properties of acidic spruce forest soils after clear cutting

We investigated the initial effects of strip wise soil loosening (0–35 cm depth) on soil chemical and physical parameters by using a deeply working rotary cultivator in combination with liming and mixing of the dolomite with the soil material of acidic forests. The investigations took place 8 months after the treatment. pH values and contents of exchangeable Ca and Mg increased significantly at the tilled depth whereas the content of exchangeable Al and easily soluble P decreased. The rate of mineralisation increased at this depth which was shown by a loss of Corg, Ntot and short-term loss of NO₃-N. The treatment led to a mobilisation of Mn at the tilled depth. However, the content of exchangeable Pb decreased due to an increased pH value. Below the tillage depth of 35 cm only partly significant changes of exchangeable Mn and NO₃-N were found. The total porosity and bulk density at 10–15 and 40–45 cm depths were not significantly different from those in the control plot, but the rate of infiltration increased significantly.     

Estimating cumulative defoliation of balsam fir from hemlock looper and balsam fir sawfly using aerial defoliation survey in western Newfoundland,Canada

Both hemlock looper (Lambdina fiscellaria fiscellaria (Guen.)) and balsam fir sawfly (Neodiprion abietis (Harris)) undergo periodic outbreaks in eastern Canada and cause significant growth and mortality losses to forests. Tree growth and mortality are closely related to cumulative defoliation estimates, which integrate annual defoliation over multiple years. Our objective was to determine a method to estimate cumulative defoliation of balsam fir (Abies balsamea [L.] Mill) due to these insects in western Newfoundland, using aerial defoliation survey data, as an essential input to modeling impacts for Decision Support Systems. Interpretation of aerial defoliation survey data for hemlock looper and balsam fir sawfly is problematic because both insects feed upon multiple age classes of foliage. Current-year (2008) aerial defoliation survey data were compared with ground estimates of defoliation by age class from 45 plots (450 trees and 395 mid-crown branch samples), representing a range of defoliation severity classes for each insect. Cumulative defoliation was calculated using defoliation per foliage age class, weighted by relative foliage mass for a given age of foliage. Three significantly different severity classes were defined based on cumulative defoliation values derived from aerial defoliation survey: (i) 1-year moderate (30–70%) defoliation, (ii) 1-year severe (71–100%) defoliation with calculated cumulative defoliation values of 19 and 39%, respectively, for balsam fir sawfly, 21 and 34% respectively for hemlock looper; and (iii) 2–3 years of moderate–severe defoliation, with cumulative defoliation ranging between 59 and 64% for balsam fir sawfly and 49% for hemlock looper. Defoliation severity from aerial defoliation survey alone hence can be misleading if defoliation measurements are not converted to cumulative defoliation values.     

Effects of wood-ash application on potential carbon and nitrogen mineralisation at two forest sites with different tree species,climate and N status

In the future it may become common practice to return wood-ash to forest ecosystems in order to replenish nutrients removed when brash has been extracted as a source of bioenergy. Wood-ash contains most of the nutrients that are present in the brash before its removal and burning, with the important exception of nitrogen (N). In the present paper we report measurements of CO₂ emissions and net N mineralisation in the humus layer and the upper 5 cm of mineral soil 12 years after the application of wood-ash to two study sites, representing different tree species, climatic conditions and N deposition histories. We hypothesized that application of wood-ash would increase both carbon (C) and net N mineralisation rates at Torup, an N-rich site with Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) in the south, whereas the net N mineralisation rates would not be affected at Vindeln, an N-poor site with Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in the north, where a possible N-limitation would restrict any N mineralisation. The treatments, comprising additions of 0, 1, 3 or 6 Mg of granulated wood-ash ha⁻¹, were applied in a randomised block design, replicated three times. Wood-ash from the same batch was used for all treatments at both sites. All factors were measured under laboratory conditions with controlled temperature and moisture levels. The potential CO₂ emissions (kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ of CO₂–C) at Torup were significantly higher in the 3 and 6 Mg ha⁻¹ treatments than in the control treatment, and the highest application resulted in an extra loss of 0.5 Mg ha⁻¹ of soil C annually as compared to the control. No such differences were detected at Vindeln. The results suggest that wood-ash application can deplete soil organic C at locations with similar characteristics (N-rich soil, spruce dominated, warm climate) as at Torup in this study.