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Appreciable mechar~icel damage to vegetation leads to .duction in
vegetation height (~iddle, A9751 and in the dxy weights of #daX
parks of plants (Duffey, 1972) although Lfddle and Greig-Wth
(19~b) indicate that low levels of trampling at, for example,
path margins, may stimulate p roducti on.
Any change in the t ype
or amount of live or dead plant material in or on the soil is
likely to lead to changes in the mLcroclimate around the soil
surf'ace (Liddle & Moore, I 974) and in the soil biology (Chappell,
1971; may, 49731.
Damge to soil and vegetation by skis and wheeled vehicles my be
oonsiderable and continual locally and include many of the. effects
associ&ed with trampling by Man and animals (sayfield, 1973a, 1973b;
Lull, 4959). Pressurss exerted by a family cnr amount toabouk 0.95 kg
-2
cm on soft ground or 1.5 kg cm2 on hard ground, that is about the
same as p-ressuros exerted by the uheep hoof (Table 4 ),
In the Lake Disk rid, comercinlly oqaniaed skiing, except for
sdl amount of grass-skiing, has not gained a foothold so the
major effect a of associated construction works (~ayfield, 1 973a3
are not seen. Tiheeled vehicle damage, including that resulting from
use of motor-cycles an the fells (~riends of the Lake District, 1975),
appears to be slight.
Effects of trees and forest=
a) ~ffects df trees
Forest soils exhibit peculiar charactsriatics acquired under.
the influence af three soil-forming fautors uncommon in ather
soils - tree roots, forest littor and apecifSc organisms
whose edstence depends on the forest vegetation (~ilde, 1958).