Soil microbial properties and nutrients in pure and mixed Chinese fir plantations

Abstract

An investigation on soil organic carbon, total N and P, NO₃ ⁻-N, available P, microbial biomass C, N and P, basal respiration and metabolic quotients (qCO₂) was conducted to compare differences in soil microbial properties and nutrients between 15-year-old pure Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) and two mixed Chinese fir plantations (mixed plantations with Alnus cremastogyne, mixed plantations with Kalopanax septemlobus) at Huitong Experimental Station of Forest Ecology (26°45′N latitude and 109°30′E longitude), Chinese Academy of Sciences in May, 2005. Results showed that the concentrations of soil organic carbon, total N, NO₃ ⁻-N, total P and available P in mixed plantations were higher than that in pure plantation. Soil microbial biomass N in two mixed plantations was averagely higher 69% and 61% than that in pure plantation at the 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm soil depth, respectively. Soil microbial biomass C, P and basal respiration in mixed plantations were higher 11%, 14% and 4% at the 0–10 cm soil depth and 6%, 3% and 3% at the 10–20 cm soil depth compared with pure plantation. However, soil microbial C: N ratio and qCO₂ were averagely lower 34% and 4% in mixed plantations than pure plantation. Additionally, there was a closer relation between soil microbial biomass and soil nutrients than between basal respiration, microbial C: N ratio and qCO₂ and soil nutrients. In conclusion, introduction of broad-leaved tree species into pure coniferous plantation improved soil microbial properties and soil fertility, and can be helpful to restore degraded forest soil.

Keywords

Chinese fir / mixed plantation / soil microbial biomass / soil nutrient

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