Alternative silvicultural approaches for maintaining biodiversity in black-spruce zone of Western Quebec

作为维持生物多样性和老树特征的手段，部分砍伐的有效性在整个加拿大北方森林中得到了广泛的倡导。然而，东部粘土带地区黑云杉/羽毛苔藓林的盐碱化(苔藓等有机物质积累从而降低土壤pH值并提高地下水位的过程)的相对重要性对可持续森林管理的发展和部分采伐的实施提出了独特的挑战。在这里，我们建议在位于魁北克西部的已建立的部分采伐林分实验网络(Abitibi的部分采伐网络)中进行第二阶段的研究，该网络将1)评估林分的较长期反应，如采伐后5年和10年的生长、生产力和树木死亡的变化；2)量化重要结构元素，如粗木质材料(CWM)和其他形式的枯木的沉积和分解的完整周期；3)评估节肢动物生物多样性对林分结构变化和CWM组成变化的响应，并特别注意它们在4)与小型哺乳动物及其捕食者(包括美洲貂)的营养相互作用中的作用，此外，它们还起到调节分解和养分循环的作用。该项目的成果将继续帮助制定可行的森林培育替代办法和可持续森林管理办法，这将是维持木材和非木材价值所必需的

The effectiveness of partial cutting as means to maintain biodiversity and old-growth characteristics has been widely advocated throughout Canada's boreal forests. However, the relative importance of paludification (a process where organic material such as mosses accumulate and thus decrease soil pH and raise the water table) in black-spruce/feathermoss forests of the eastern clay-belt region present a unique challenge for the development of sustainable forest management and the implementation of partial cutting. Here we propose the second phase of research in an established, experimental network of partial harvested stands (Partial Cutting Network in Abitibi) located in Western Québec that will 1) evaluate the longer-term response of forest stands such as changes in growth, productivity and tree mortality 5 and 10 years following harvest, 2) quantify the complete cycle of deposition and decomposition of important structural elements such as coarse woody material (CWM) and other forms of dead wood 3) evaluate the response of arthropod biodiversity to both stand structural changes and changes in CWM composition with special attention to their functional roles in 4) trophic interactions with small mammals and their predators including the American marten (Martes americana), as well as 5) there role mediating decomposition and nutrient cycling. Results from this project will continue to help the development of viable silvicultural alternatives and approaches to sustainable forest management that will be necessary to maintain both timber and non-timber values within the