Soil efflux (SEF) is an important component in the global carbon cycle. The combination of root and microbial respiration, SEF is often used as a measure of biological productivity in the soil. Although SEF has been widely studied, some areas have been neglected, including the effect of timber harvest management on SEF and SEF in different soil horizons. Timber harvesting compacts the soil, removes standing vegetation, increases debris, alters the microclimate, etc., all of which could potentially alter SEF.

The Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP) is a long-term study in which the Missouri Department of Conservation installed experiments of singletree uneven-age (UAM), clear-cut even-age (EAM), and control no-cut (NHM) timber harvests to seek ecosystem-management alternatives. I found SEF to be the highest in the deepest portion of the soil pit for EAM and UAM, double that of NHM at the same depth and surface efflux of all three treatments.