earticle

영어

This study aimed to investigate the short-term effects of chainsaw lubricating oils—biodegradable, mineral-based, and recycled—on forest soil contamination and vegetation growth, with the goal of providing scientific evidence to guide lubricant selection for timber harvesting operations. Two experiments were conducted: Experiment 1 assessed the growth of Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carrière seedlings under artificially induced contamination at a nursery site, while Experiment 2 examined total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) dynamics, soil bacterial community structure and function, and sprout growth of Quercus mongolica Fisch. ex Ledeb. stumps under operational contamination at a harvesting site. Biodegradable oil treatments exhibited lower TPH concentrations and faster recovery compared to mineral-based and recycled oils. Soil bacterial functional profiles remained more similar to the control under biodegradable oil, whereas mineral-based and recycled oils induced partial functional shifts. Soil CO₂ efflux decreased by 1.1%, 11.5%, and 7.7% under biodegradable, mineral-based, and recycled oils, respectively, although differences were not statistically significant. Soil CH₄ uptake increased across all oil treatments, indicating potential microbial resilience. Despite detectable biochemical and microbial alterations in soils, no statistically significant effects were observed on the growth of seedlings or sprouts. These findings suggest that chainsaw lubricant application may exert subtle effects on microbial and certain functional aspects of soil properties, but its short-term impacts on soil productivity appear to be limited depending on species.