Title: Validating visual disturbance types and classes used for forest soil monitoring protocols
Description: We describe several methods for validating visual soil disturbance classes used during forest soil monitoring after specific management operations. Site-specific vegetative, soil, and hydrologic responses to soil disturbance are needed to identify sensitive and resilient soil properties and processes; therefore, validation of ecosystem responses can provide information for best management practices in selecting appropriate harvest and site preparation techniques that limit long-term degradation and maintain site productivity and hydrologic function. Although research on forest managements affect on soil properties and plant growth responses has been conducted on a few sites, there is a need for additional site-specific validation data of soil visual disturbance attributes across the range of soil and forest conditions.
Subjects: Forest soils, Soil productivity