The sustainability of timber and biomass harvest in perspective of forest nutrient uptake and nutrient stocks

•Base cation and Mn stocks in mature trees exceed the soil stocks of those elements.•Low base cation stocks in the organic soil layer potentially limit forest recovery.•Annual base cation uptake and export in beech exceeds Douglas fir and Scots pine.•Negative Ca balances in beech and Scots pine may deplete Ca stocks in 2 rotations.•Whole tree harvest increases nutrient losses up to 100% compared to regular harvest.