Structural quality of soil in plantation: a case study on the mixed plantation of Alnus cremastogyne and Cupressus funebris in upper reaches of Yangtze River

Abstract

In process of ecological construction in typical region of upper reaches of Yangtze River, China, the mixed plantations at the ages of 10–20 present a trend to be pure forests and degeneration. Soil samples including stratified soil and total soil were taken from 4 typical profiles in the mixed plantation of Alnus cremastogyne and Cupressus funebris in Yanting County in central Sichuan, China. Soil indices of the plantation were compared with those of natural forest in Gongga Mountain in the same region. The results revealed that structural quality of soil in plantation was significantly lower than that in natural forests. The degradation of structural quality of soil in plantation was one of key factors for plantation degeneration. The degradation causes of structural quality of soil were analyzed. Aanthropogenic disturbance and absence of effective protection and scientific management are the main reason for degradation of structural quality of soil in plantation. The main countermeasures, e.g. forest reservation, ecological rehabilitation, litter horizon rebuilding as well as organic fertilizer application, were proposed to improve the structural quality of soil in plantation.

Keywords

Plantation / Soil structural quality / Countermeasure / Yangtze River