Pedosphere 14(3): 297--304, 2004
ISSN 1002-0160/CN 32-1315/P
©2004 Soil Science Society of China
Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press
| Soil biological changes for a natural forest and two plantations in subtropical China |
CHEN Guang-Shui1 , YANG Yu-Sheng1, XIE Jin-Sheng2, LI Ling2 and GAO Ren1 |
1 College of Geography Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007 (China). E-mail: gshuichen@163.com
2 College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Nanping 353001 (China) |
| ABSTRACT |
| Conversion of natural forests into pure plantation forests is a common management practice in subtropical China. To evaluate the effects of forest conversion on soil fertility, microbe numbers and enzyme activities in topsoils (0-10 cm) were quantified in two 33-year-old monoculture plantations of Castanopsis kawakamii Hayata (CK) and Cunninghamia lanceolata Lamb. (Chinese fir) (CF), and compared to a neighboring relict natural C. kawakamii forest (NF), in Sanming, Fujian. Five soil samples were collected once each in January, April, July, September and November in 2000 in each forest for laboratory analysis. Over the sampling year, there were significant differences for bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes between forests and between seasons (P < 0.05). The largest bacteria and fungi populations were in NF, while CF contained the greatest number of actinomycetes. There were also significant differences (P < 0.05) with microbial respiration for forests and seasons. Additionally, compared with NF, urease and acid phosphatase were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in CK and CF. Also, the correlations of soil hydrolysable N and available P to soil microbial and enzymatic activities were highly significant (P < 0.01). Thus, to alter the traditional Chinese fir monoculture so as to mimic the natural forest conditions, managing mixed stands of Chinese fir and broadleaf trees or conducting crop rotation of conifers and broadleaf trees as well as minimizing forest disturbances like clear-cutting, slash burning and soil preparing, could be utilized. |
| Key Words: Chinese fir, monoculture plantation, natural forest, soil enzymes, soil microbes |
| Citation: Chen, G. S., Yang, Y. S., Xie, J. S., Li, L. and Gao, R. 2004. Soil biological changes for a natural forest and two plantations in subtropical China. Pedosphere. 14(3): 297-304. |
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