Abstract
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• Spruce budworm outbreaks are among the major natural disturbances affecting the dynamics and functioning of Canadian boreal forests. However, the element losses potentially associated with spruce budworm outbreaks have not been quantified.
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• We evaluated the influence of spruce budworm outbreaks on nutrient export from boreal forest soils by comparing nutrient leaching losses during a spruce budworm outbreaks episode (1981–1984) to an unperturbed period (1999–2003) in a calibrated catchment located in a balsam fir forest.
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• Nutrient soil leaching losses were significantly higher during the spruce budworm outbreaks (1981–1984) for N-NO3 (30.1 fold), K (8.3 fold), N-NH4 (6.2 fold), Mg (2.7 fold) and SO4 (2.2 fold), as compared to an unperturbed period (1999–2003). When the recurrence of spruce budworm outbreaks (33 years) and a plausible average length of such events (5 years) are taken into consideration, it is estimated that in the long term, 5.6 more NO3, 1.5 more K and 1.2 more NH4 are leached from the soil profile during outbreaks.
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• The important leaching losses during spruce budworm outbreaks, when added to the losses due to tree harvesting and fire (and acid deposition for K), may have considerable effects on soil fertility and ecosystem sustainability.
Résumé
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• Les épidémies de la tordeuse des bourgeons de l’épinette sont parmi les principales perturbations naturelles qui affectent la dynamique et le fonctionnement des forêts boréales canadiennes. Toutefois, les éléments potentiellement perdus associés à une épidémie de la tordeuse des bourgeons de l’épinette n’ont pas été quantifiés.
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• Nous avons évalué l’influence des épidémies de tordeuse des bourgeons de l’épinette sur l’exportation des éléments nutritifs des sols de la forêt boréale, en comparant les pertes par lessivage des éléments nutritifs au cours d’un épisode d’épidémie de la tordeuse des bourgeons de l’épinette (1981–1984) à une période non perturbée (1999–2003) dans un bassin versant calibré situé dans une forêt de sapin baumier.
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• Les pertes par lessivage des éléments nutritifs du sol ont été significativement plus élevées au cours de l’épidémie de la tordeuse des bourgeons de l’épinette (1981–1984) pour N-NO3 (30,1 fois), K (8,3 fois), N-NH4 (6,2 fois), Mg (2,7 fois) and SO4 (2,2 fois), de N-NO3 (par rapport à une période non perturbée (1999–2003). Quand la répétition des épidémies de tordeuse des bourgeons de l’épinette (33 ans) et une durée moyenne plausible de ces événements (5 ans) sont prises en considération, il est estimé que dans le long terme, 5,6 fois plus de NO3, 1,5 fois plus de K et 1,2 fois plus de NH4 sont lessivés du profil du sol durant les épidémies.
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• Les importantes pertes par lessivage lors des épidémies de tordeuse des bourgeons de l’épinette, ajoutées aux pertes dues à la récolte des arbres et au feu (et des dépôts acides pour K), peuvent avoir des effets considérables sur la fertilité des sols et la durabilité de l’écosystème.
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Houle, D., Duchesne, L. & Boutin, R. Effects of a spruce budworm outbreak on element export below the rooting zone: a case study for a balsam fir forest. Ann. For. Sci. 66, 707 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1051/forest/2009057
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/forest/2009057