**3.1.4 Quantification of nutrient removals**

In order to quantify the amount of nutrients removed by different disturbances, samples of the different decay and size classes of CWD and WD (from two plots of each disturbance), fresh woody materials, living needles and fresh litter (from neighboring uncut stands of above sampling plots) were collected to analyze N and P nutrient concentrations.

Total N and P losses through harvesting were estimated from data on the biomass removed and nutrient concentrations therein. The biomass removed by harvesting was calculated from the estimated total biomass before disturbances and total WD mass left after harvesting. Total N and P losses through wildfire were estimated using assumed % loss of forest floor and foliage due to burning. Because wildfires in the study area are very variable in intensity and severity of impact, a range of severities was assumed. Based on our observations, we assumed a range of wildfire severities from 25% to 85% loss of both forest floor and foliage. It was also assumed that, on average, 10% of branch mass was lost during the fire. The average loading of the forest floor (L and F layers) biomass in mature lodgepole pine forests in the study area was 14.5 (±3.3) Mg.ha-1.
