Todd Redding
MSc candidate, 2001
Spatial variability of forest soil chemical properties related to clearcut edges.
Todd Redding completed his B.Sc. in Geography from the University of Victoria in 1995. Todd was employed from 1995-1999 with the British Columbia Forest Service Research Program in Kamloops, BC. In his position as Earth Science Technician, Todd worked on research projects studying: forest soils and nutrient cycling, terrain stability analysis and mapping, water quality monitoring and snow hydrology. During that time, Todd also became a Professional Agrologist with the British Columbia Institute of Agrologists.
Todd is researched changes in forest floor chemical and physical properties and processes across forest-clearcut edges. The research is part of the Sicamous Creek Silvicultural Systems Trial, an interdisciplinary study of high-elevation forest ecology and management in the southern interior of British Columbia. Other research interests include spatial variability of forest soils, forest hydrology and snow.
RESEARCH SUMMARY
1999 - 2001
Forest Soils on the Cutting Edge
The creation of edges in forested landscapes by clearcut harvesting may lead to important changes in ecosystem dynamics as a result of impacts on biotic and abiotic processes. These impacts may also be relevant to the selection of a silvicultural system when harvesting these ecosystems. Edge effects have been well documented for variables such as microclimate, vegetation and wildlife habitat. The effects of edges on forest floor properties have not been adequately addressed in the literature.
The purpose of this study is to examine the pattern of forest floor chemical and physical properties across high-elevation forest-clearcut edges in the southern interior of British Columbia. The research site is part of the Sicamous Creek Silvicultural Systems Trial near the town of Sicamous, B.C.
The sampling design uses intensive spatial sampling to examine the pattern of forest floor properties relative to the edge, and the influence of environmental factors. Forest floor physical variables measured include depth, density, moisture content. Chemical properties measured were pH, total carbon, nitrogen (total, mineralizeable and buried bag incubations), sulphur, and exchangeable cations. Site and environmental variables measured included microtopography, forest floor temperature, understory and overstory vegetation and light availability. Preliminary data analysis is currently under way. The data analysis will include spatial and multivariate statistical analyses to separate out the sources of variability related to the edge and to environmental factors.
Publications:
Redding, T.E., Hope, G.D, Schmidt, M.G., and Fortin, M.J. 2004. Analytical methods for defining stand-clearcut edge effects demonstrated for N mineralization. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 34: 1018-1024.
Redding, T.E., Fortin, M.J., Hope, G.D., Schmidt, M.G. and Bailey, W.G. 2003. Spatial patterns of soil temperature and moisture across high-elevation forest-clearcut edges in the southern interior of British Columbia. Can. J. Soil Sci. 83: 121-130.
