Koptev Sergey, PhD.

In this work, physical and chemical properties of the upper horizons of podzolic light loamy
soil were investigated 21–23 years after forest cutting. This was after the first shift of long-term,
gradual felling was carried out by tree-length logging in wintertime in mixed conifer stands
of the Middle Taiga of the Arkhangelsk Region in Russia. The increased density of the forest
litter composition was observed. This was especially the case on skidding trails. On the forest
floor of skidding trails subjected to a greater stress caused by timber skidding, lower total
porosity and aeration porosity was observed, in comparison with the cutting strip and natural
forest. It was established that timber skidding during wintertime does not affect the density of
podzolic horizon composition. An inverse pattern was observed here: the total porosity and
the aeration porosity became higher and were close to the optimum values for plant growth
(54.16–52.99% and 15.72–19.97%). In the podzolic horizon on skid roads, comparison to the
natural forest showed a significant reduction of phosphorus mobile forms and an increase in
the amount of absorbed bases, which is the result of grassy vegetation overgrowth and natural
birch regeneration. On skidding trails and cutting strips, the organic matter content and total
nitrogen significantly increased, which is related to a change of light intensity, the composition
of living ground cover and vigorous decompositions of the organic horizon and woody residues.
In cutting areas, a system mosaic of soil cover developed, which differed according to favourable
conditions for tree species regeneration, compared to the control stands.