MILES felled birch plots: MOORCO – Moorland colonisation
Background
These plots are part of the MOORCO project. A replicated experiment was established at one site in the early 1980s to test the durability of the engineering effects of birch on soil properties. Birch woodland established on previously heather dominated moorland was felled and heather planted. Our data is allowing us to assess how long it takes for woodland soils to revert to a soil characteristic of moorland.
Key results
- After 20 years soil chemical properties, microarthropod communities and decomposition rates were not significantly different between plots with and without the birch.
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However, the mass of the soil O-horizon was significantly greater in the felled birch plots than in the control birch plots, providing the first indication of a change towards soil properties more typical of a Calluna moorland.
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The work also shows that the role of birch in driving changes in the ecosystem is durable 20 years after the removal of the birch.
See Publications for further details of results.
Sites
| Site Name | Grid reference |
|---|---|
| Craggan (b) | NJ197327 |
Experimental design
Treatments
- Mature birch woodland naturally colonised on heather moorland (Birch control)
- Planted heather plots where birch was felled and heather planted (Felled plots)
Replication
Paired plot design, 6 control plots and 6 felled plots
Data collected
| Data type | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetation | 1985, 2003 | Species composition (% cover) |
| Soil chemistry | 1978, 1986, 2003 | Al, C, C:N, Ca, Ca, Fe, K, LOI, Mg, Mn, moisture, N, Na, N-mineralization, P, pH |
| Soil microbial | 2003 | PLFAs and DGGE |
| Decomposition rates | 2003 | Filter papers and wooden sticks |
| Soil physical properties | 1978, 2003 | LFH depth, O depth, bulk density |
| Tree density and size | 2003 | Number, height and DBH |
| Soil invertebrates | 2004 | Collembolla and mites (to species) Enchytraeidaes numbers |
Contact
MOORCO is a collaborative project across several groups and themes within the James Hutton Institute and with many different staff involved. In the first instance please contact Dr Ruth Mitchell for further details.
