Dear colleagues, I'm trying to develop better understanding of the forest biodiversity issue and what some specific, measureable indicators of healthy forests might be. . . . . This question is directed at those involved in studying forest soils: Is there any evidence to suggest that soil organic matter is depleted in intensively managed forests to the extent that forest growth is affected? Is depletion of soil organic matter in intensively managed forests a contributing factor in decline? Also, what are the implications for the species richness and biomass of soil organisms of sustained heavy timber harvest (repeated short-rotation stem-only clearcut harvests)? I'm particularly interested in the evidence for forests of mid-latitudes, at the interface of the boreal and deciduous forests. Any leads would be appreciated. Is there any consensus among central European foresters on the causes of forest decline? Cheers, Vince Zelazny Forest Ecology Group Timber Management Branch Department of Natural Resources and Energy Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada vzelazny@gov.nb.ca
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