IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i9p4863-d543845.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Effects of Soil Moisture on Harvesting Operations in Populus spp. Plantations: Specific Focus on Costs, Energy Balance and GHG Emissions

Author

Listed:
  • Farzam Tavankar

    (Department of Forestry, Khalkhal Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khalkhal 56817-31367, Iran)

  • Mehrdad Nikooy

    (Department of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Guilan, Somehsara 96196-43619, Iran)

  • Francesco Latterini

    (Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria (CREA), Centro di Ricerca Ingegneria e Trasformazioni Agroalimentari, Via della Pascolare 16, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy)

  • Rachele Venanzi

    (Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Via San Camillo de Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy)

  • Leonardo Bianchini

    (Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Via San Camillo de Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy)

  • Rodolfo Picchio

    (Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Via San Camillo de Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy)

Abstract

Background: Poplar tree plantations for wood production are part of a worldwide growing trend, especially in moist soil sites. Harvesting operations in moist sites such as poplar plantations require more study for detailed and increased knowledge on environmental and economic aspects and issues. Methods: In this study, the effects of soil moisture content (dry vs. moist) on productivity, cost, and emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) caused by operations of different harvesting systems (chainsaw-skidder and harvester-forwarder) were evaluated in three poplar plantations (two in Italy and one in Iran). Results: The productivity (m 3 h −1 ) of both systems in the dry sites were significantly higher (20% to 30%) than those in the moist sites. Production costs (€ m −3 ) and GHG emissions (g m −3 ) of both systems in the dry sites were also significantly lower than those in the moist sites. The productivity of the harvester-forwarder system was about four times higher, and its production cost was 25% to 30% lower than that of the chainsaw-skidder system, but the calculated GHG emissions by harvester-forwarder system was 50–60% higher than by the chainsaw-skidder system. Conclusions: Logging operations are to be avoided where there are conditions of high soil moisture content (>20%). The result will be higher cost-effectiveness and a reduction in the emission of pollutants.

Suggested Citation

  • Farzam Tavankar & Mehrdad Nikooy & Francesco Latterini & Rachele Venanzi & Leonardo Bianchini & Rodolfo Picchio, 2021. "The Effects of Soil Moisture on Harvesting Operations in Populus spp. Plantations: Specific Focus on Costs, Energy Balance and GHG Emissions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-21, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:9:p:4863-:d:543845
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/9/4863/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/9/4863/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Vanbeveren, Stefan P.P. & Spinelli, Raffaele & Eisenbies, Mark & Schweier, Janine & Mola-Yudego, Blas & Magagnotti, Natascia & Acuna, Mauricio & Dimitriou, Ioannis & Ceulemans, Reinhart, 2017. "Mechanised harvesting of short-rotation coppices," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 90-104.
    2. Gokhan Ozkaya & Ceren Erdin, 2020. "Evaluation of Sustainable Forest and Air Quality Management and the Current Situation in Europe through Operation Research Methods," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-20, December.
    3. Rodolfo Picchio & Francesco Latterini & Piotr S. Mederski & Damiano Tocci & Rachele Venanzi & Walter Stefanoni & Luigi Pari, 2020. "Applications of GIS-Based Software to Improve the Sustainability of a Forwarding Operation in Central Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-15, July.
    4. Hadi Sohrabi & Meghdad Jourgholami & Mohammad Jafari & Naghi Shabanian & Rachele Venanzi & Farzam Tavankar & Rodolfo Picchio, 2020. "Soil Recovery Assessment after Timber Harvesting Based on the Sustainable Forest Operation (SFO) Perspective in Iranian Temperate Forests," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-18, April.
    5. Janine Schweier & Boško Blagojević & Rachele Venanzi & Francesco Latterini & Rodolfo Picchio, 2019. "Sustainability Assessment of Alternative Strip Clear Cutting Operations for Wood Chip Production in Renaturalization Management of Pine Stands," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-26, August.
    6. Killian S. Lima & Ana C. Meira Castro & J. Santos Baptista & Ulisses Silva, 2020. "Wood-Logging Process Management in Eastern Amazonia (Brazil)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-18, September.
    7. Rodolfo Picchio & Rachele Venanzi & Nicolò Di Marzio & Damiano Tocci & Farzam Tavankar, 2020. "A Comparative Analysis of Two Cable Yarder Technologies Performing Thinning Operations on a 33 Year Old Pine Plantation: A Potential Source of Wood for Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-20, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Rachele Venanzi & Francesco Latterini & Walter Stefanoni & Damiano Tocci & Rodolfo Picchio, 2022. "Variations of Soil Physico-Chemical and Biological Features after Logging Using Two Different Ground-Based Extraction Methods in a Beech High Forest—A Case Study," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-14, March.
    2. Azadeh Khoramizadeh & Meghdad Jourgholami & Mohammad Jafari & Rachele Venanzi & Farzam Tavankar & Rodolfo Picchio, 2021. "Soil Restoration through the Application of Organic Mulch Following Skidding Operations Causing Vehicle Induced Compaction in the Hyrcanian Forests, Northern Iran," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-17, October.
    3. Rodolfo Picchio & Francesco Latterini & Piotr S. Mederski & Damiano Tocci & Rachele Venanzi & Walter Stefanoni & Luigi Pari, 2020. "Applications of GIS-Based Software to Improve the Sustainability of a Forwarding Operation in Central Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-15, July.
    4. Hadi Sohrabi & Meghdad Jourgholami & Angela Lo Monaco & Rodolfo Picchio, 2022. "Effects of Forest Harvesting Operations on the Recovery of Earthworms and Nematodes in the Hyrcanain Old-Growth Forest: Assessment, Mitigation, and Best Management Practice," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-15, May.
    5. Luigi Pari & Francesco Latterini & Walter Stefanoni, 2020. "Herbaceous Oil Crops, a Review on Mechanical Harvesting State of the Art," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-25, July.
    6. Nižetić, Sandro & Jurčević, Mišo & Čoko, Duje & Arıcı, Müslüm & Hoang, Anh Tuan, 2021. "Implementation of phase change materials for thermal regulation of photovoltaic thermal systems: Comprehensive analysis of design approaches," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    7. Ewelina Olba-Zięty & Mariusz Jerzy Stolarski & Michał Krzyżaniak, 2021. "Economic Evaluation of the Production of Perennial Crops for Energy Purposes—A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-16, November.
    8. Ahlem Jellali & Wafik Hachicha & Awad M. Aljuaid, 2021. "Sustainable Configuration of the Tunisian Olive Oil Supply Chain Using a Fuzzy TOPSIS-Based Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-19, January.
    9. Diah Chaerani & Adibah Shuib & Tomy Perdana & Athaya Zahrani Irmansyah, 2023. "Systematic Literature Review on Robust Optimization in Solving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Problems during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-18, March.
    10. Rodolfo Picchio & Rachele Venanzi & Nicolò Di Marzio & Damiano Tocci & Farzam Tavankar, 2020. "A Comparative Analysis of Two Cable Yarder Technologies Performing Thinning Operations on a 33 Year Old Pine Plantation: A Potential Source of Wood for Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-20, October.
    11. Francesco Latterini & Rachele Venanzi & Damiano Tocci & Rodolfo Picchio, 2022. "Depth-to-Water Maps to Identify Soil Areas That Are Potentially Sensitive to Logging Disturbance: Initial Evaluations in the Mediterranean Forest Context," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-13, May.
    12. Ralf Pecenka & Hannes Lenz & Simeon Olatayo Jekayinfa & Thomas Hoffmann, 2020. "Influence of Tree Species, Harvesting Method and Storage on Energy Demand and Wood Chip Quality When Chipping Poplar, Willow and Black Locust," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-15, April.
    13. Hadi Sohrabi & Meghdad Jourgholami & Mohammad Jafari & Naghi Shabanian & Rachele Venanzi & Farzam Tavankar & Rodolfo Picchio, 2020. "Soil Recovery Assessment after Timber Harvesting Based on the Sustainable Forest Operation (SFO) Perspective in Iranian Temperate Forests," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-18, April.
    14. Fuertes, A. & Oliveira, N. & Cañellas, I. & Sixto, H. & Rodríguez-Soalleiro, R., 2021. "An economic overview of Populus spp. in Short Rotation Coppice systems under Mediterranean conditions: An assessment tool for decision-making," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    15. Andrea Colantoni & Rodolfo Picchio & Alvaro Marucci & Elena Di Mattia & Valerio Cristofori & Fabio Recanatesi & Mauro Villarini & Danilo Monarca & Massimo Cecchini, 2020. "WP3—Innovation in Agriculture and Forestry Sector for Energetic Sustainability," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-7, November.
    16. Gokhan Ozkaya & Mehpare Timor & Ceren Erdin, 2021. "Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Indicators and Comparisons of Countries through a Hybrid Model of Data Mining and MCDM Methods," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-49, January.
    17. Mariusz Jerzy Stolarski & Kazimierz Warmiński & Michał Krzyżaniak, 2020. "Energy Value of Yield and Biomass Quality of Poplar Grown in Two Consecutive 4-Year Harvest Rotations in the North-East of Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-13, March.
    18. Meghdad Jourgholami & Azadeh Khoramizadeh & Angela Lo Monaco & Rachele Venanzi & Francesco Latterini & Farzam Tavankar & Rodolfo Picchio, 2021. "Evaluation of Leaf Litter Mulching and Incorporation on Skid Trails for the Recovery of Soil Physico-Chemical and Biological Properties of Mixed Broadleaved Forests," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-15, June.
    19. Vanbeveren, Stefan P.P. & Ceulemans, Reinhart, 2019. "Biodiversity in short-rotation coppice," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 34-43.
    20. Stolarski, Mariusz Jerzy & Warmiński, Kazimierz & Krzyżaniak, Michał & Olba–Zięty, Ewelina & Akincza, Marta, 2020. "Bioenergy technologies and biomass potential vary in Northern European countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:9:p:4863-:d:543845. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.