Coarse woody debris (CWD) is an important component of forested ecosystems that requires increased attention with changing demands on forest management. CWD can be an important component of aboveground carbon and nutrient storage, but the variety of silvicultural treatments applied makes it difficult to predict. This study was conducted to determine the effects of silvicultural treatments and harvesting practices on CWD biomass, nutrient capital and carbon content. Information on CWD was collected by using the modified planar intercept method at the Lennox Memorial Model Forest with a variety of silvicultural treatments and the Mink Hollow Model Forest within the Catskill/Delaware watershed of the New York City Water Supply System. We collected subsamples 15 cm in length by species and 4 decay classes to determine their density and nutrient concentration. The biomass of CWD in control, crown thinning, high-grade harvesting, shelterwood cut, and patch clearcut is 10, 23, 39, 40, and 48 Mg/ha respectively. Nutrient content of CWD was the lowest (37, 2, 5, 30, and 3 kg ha-1 for N, P, K, Ca, and Mg respectively) in the control and the highest in the patch clearcut (109, 7, 40, 363, and 21 kg/ha for N, P, K, Ca, and Mg respectively). The carbon storage of CWD remaining on site is 5, 11, 19, 19, and 23 Mg/ha for control, crown thinning, high-grade harvesting, shelterwood cut, and patch clearcut treatment respectively. This study shows that silvicultural methods can significantly influence the amount of CWD and nutrient, especially soon after cutting. This study will provide valuable information in selecting treatments to accommodate non-timber values such as wildlife habitat, nutrient cycling, and carbon storage.
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