Development of harvester ant colonies alters soil chemistry

Nests of the harvester ant Pogonomyrmex barbatus typically contain higher concentrations of organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus than surrounding soils. The difference between nest soils and surrounding soils is due, at least in part, to ant foraging behavior. Ants retrieve seeds from the environment and concentrate seed nutrients in the vicinity of the nest. But elevated nutrient concentrations in nests may also reflect initial conditions, if nest-founding queens are more likely to choose or survive in soils with high organic matter and nutrient content. By measuring the soil nutrient content and surface area of P. barbatus nests ranging from 1 to 20 years of age over two sampling periods, we (a) investigated the relationship between nest soil characteristics and colony age, and (b) tested the hypothesis that nest soils differ from background soils when nests are established. Nest surface area increased with colony age until age 5-10 years and leveled off thereafter. Relative to surrounding soils, concentrations of total nitrogen and orthophosphate increased, and pH decreased, with increasing colony age. The difference between nest soils and surrounding soils in total nitrogen, nitrate, and ammonium concentrations also increased over a 9-month interval between sampling bouts. Extrapolations from regressions of soil chemical variables against colony age provided no evidence that nest founding and early colony survival is more likely to occur in high-nutrient soils.     

不同林龄杉木林地土壤特性分析

测定了1年、10年、18年、32年的杉木林地土壤微生物数量、化学性质、酶活性。结果表明:随着杉木林龄的增长,土壤pH降低,有机质含量增加,土壤中细菌、真菌、氨化细菌、微生物总量呈现"低-高-低"的趋势,放线菌数量变化未表现出明显趋势;水解氮、有效磷、有效钾从幼龄林到中龄林含量有所增加,中龄林以后降低,到成熟林时达到最低;蛋白酶、脲酶、过氧化氢酶、蔗糖酶的活性从幼龄林到中龄林逐渐增强,而在中龄林之后开始下降。随着土层深度的增加,土壤中各种微生物数量、土壤pH、有机质含量、水解氮、速效磷、速效钾以及各种酶的活性均有所降低且趋势较明显。     

Use of RAPD markers for the study of microbial community similarity from termite mounds and tropical soils

In this study, we test the use of the RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA) molecular markers as a way to estimate the similarity of the microbial communities in various termite mounds and soils. In tropical ecosystems, termite activities induce changes in the chemical and physical properties of soil. The question then arises as to whether or not termites affect the presence of natural microbial communities. Successful 16S rDNA amplifications provided evidence of the occurrence of bacterial DNA in termite constructions including both soil feeder and fungus grower materials. A phenetic dendrogram using the similarity distance calculated from pairwise data including 88 polymorphic RAPD markers was reconstructed and bootstrap scores mapped. The microbial communities of the mounds of the four soil-feeding termites were clustered in the same clade, while those of the mounds of the fungus-growing species were distinct like those of control soils. Microbial changes in nests result from termite building behavior, depending on whether they include feces in their constructions for soil-feeders or use saliva as particle cement for fungus-growers. It is argued that RAPDs are useful markers to detect differences in microbial community structure not only between termitaries and control soils but also between mounds of soil-feeders.     

Impact of a soil feeding termite,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Cubitermes niokoloensis</Emphasis>, on the symbiotic microflora associated with a fallow leguminous plant<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Crotalaria ochroleuca</Emphasis>

The influence of a soil-feeding termite nest (Cubitermes nikoloensis) on the development of a symbiotic microflora (rhizobia, arbuscular mycorrhizas) was tested in a pot experiment with a tropical legume (Crotalaria ochroleuca). Our results confirmed the role of soil-feeding termite nests as sites of high nutrient concentration, as a significantly higher content of available P and mineral-N was found in the mound wall. Arbuscular mycorrhizal spores increased in the soil near the termite mound. The mound soil itself almost totally depressed mycorrhizal establishment. The positive effect of the soils close to the mound was also evidenced by the number of nodules per root system as well as the nodule biomass per legume plant grown on this medium. Better growth of Crotalaria seedlings was observed in the soils from the mound wall; the shoot biomass increased by a factor of 9 and the root biomass by a factor of 6 as compared to the control soil (10 m away from the mound). Plant growth on soils from the immediate vicinity of the mound showed intermediate results but a higher N content per biomass unit. This probably reflected the association with arbuscular mycorrhiza and rhizobia. This work evidenced the linkage of plant nutrition to nutrient availability in mound material and the indirect mediating effect of the symbiotic microflora.     

Wood ant nests as potential hot spots for carbon and nitrogen mineralisation

Red wood ants (the Formica rufa group) build large nests which can last for many years. The ants often bring large quantities of conifer litter to their mounds. In this study we compared chemical properties of the forest floor and ant-nest materials of red wood ants at two different sites in Sweden. We also did an incubation study in the laboratory to determine C and N mineralisation rates of soil and nest materials at two moisture levels. Some chemical properties, e.g. pH and C/N ratio, differed between sites. Nests were always drier, had a higher C/N ratio and often had higher NH₄⁺ concentrations than the surrounding forest floor. This indicates that the nests increase spatial heterogeneity of the forest floor not only because they contain large amounts of organic matter but also because of qualitative differences in nest composition. In the incubation study, experimentally increased moisture levels in the nest material resulted in net N immobilisation, while surrounding litter and humus materials showed net N mineralisation. The CO₂ evolution was clearly increased by increased moisture. Dry conditions in the nest material prevented it from being decomposed and, since there were no plants to take up N, inorganic N accumulated. However, based on our results we hypothesise that ant nests do not produce large amounts of inorganic N as long as the ants bring fresh litter with high C/N ratio to the nests and keep the nests dry. However, the nests can be considered as potential "compost heaps" which probably decompose faster and will be a source of N leaching when the ants no longer maintain the specific dry conditions.     

Soil genesis and heterogeneity of phosphorus forms and carbon below mounds inhabited by primary and secondary termites

Termite activities are known to significantly influence small-scale soil properties in tropical savannas. The lateral and vertical extent of the alterations to the nest's surrounding, and particularly resulting impacts on diagnostic soil horizons remain largely unresolved until today. We examined the effects of mound-building termites on soil genesis and constitutive chemical soil properties in and below their nests. Two transects to a soil depth of 100 cm were dug below three younger mounds of Cornitermes silvestrii (the primary nest builder), three older mounds in which C. silvestrii had died out and which were secondarily colonized mainly by Nasutitermes kemneri, and three reference sites in the Brazilian Cerrado. The samples were characterized by standard procedures for soil classification; in addition, phosphorus extractions were conducted on selected samples using NaHCO₃ for labile P forms, and concentrated HCl for stable P forms. This data set was then used to build calibration models for the prediction of labile and stable inorganic (P_i) and organic (P_o) P forms, as well as for contents of organic carbon (OC), for the remaining samples applying mid-infrared spectroscopy in combination with partial least squares regression (MIRS-PLSR). We can show that the termite influence on the soil was sufficiently large to change diagnostic characteristics of the soils under termite mounds. The MIRS-PLSR predictions were suitable for quantifying organic carbon and most of the labile and stable phosphorus fractions. They showed an enrichment of OC, NaHCO₃-P_o and NaHCO₃-P_i contents in nests inhabited by primary and secondary termites by factors of 1.6–2.0 and 1.4–1.5, respectively. The soils surrounding the nests had higher contents of OC and NaHCO₃-P under both nest types vertically down to 30 cm below the lower nest border, and OC and NaHCO₃-P_i contents were elevated at minimum to a lateral distance of 60 cm away from the nest border. As the pattern of HCl_conc-P_i, which comprised 95% of total P, showed no variations, we conclude that the higher NaHCO₃-P_i amount was formed in termite nests by changing the availability of the more stable HCl_conc-P_i. In contrast to the contents, the OC and NaHCO₃-P stocks below the mounds inhabited by primary termites were comparable to those inhabited by secondary ones, because the bulk density of the secondarily inhabited nests was elevated. This was due to a transport of clay-rich material from the subsurface argic horizons into the nests. Here, the secondary termites even reverted the lessivation observed in the reference soils and under mounds inhabited by primary termites, thus causing the soil types to change from Alisols and Acrisols to the properties of Umbrisols.     

Microbiological Properties in Acidic Forest Soils with Special Consideration of KCl Extractable Al

To determine the importance of Al-availability for soil micro-organisms 95 forest soils from Tyrol/Austria with comparable topography, vegetation, climatic conditions, soil type and with low soil pH (median = 3.9) were investigated for their physical (percentage of stable aggregates, water holding capacity), chemical (pH, electrical conductivity, contents of organic matter, concentrations of easily extractable aluminium, calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus) and microbiological characteristics (microbial biomass and respiration, metabolic quotient, content of ATP, activities of protease and CM-cellulase, cfu-values of total and Al-tolerant bacteria and fungi). A highly significant negative correlation was detected between concentrations of KCl-extractable aluminium and soil pH. By the application of multivariate statistical methods, the effect of the concentration of KCl-extractable aluminium on abundance and activities of soil micro-organisms could be revealed. Al turned out to be of great importance for micro-organisms and often outmatched the significance of other well known soil properties like organic matter, pH or water holding capacity. However, due to very healthy trees at the sites under investigation no effect of Al or soil acidification on forest decline could be detected.     

Modified method for measuring acid phosphatase activities in forest soils with high organic matter content

Abstract

The acid phosphatase activity (APA) is a key factor in phosphorus (P), mineralization, P nutrition of plants, and P cycling. However, the widely used method of Tabatabai and Bremner for APA determinations is seriously restricted in soils with high organic matter contents, owing to interference in photometric detection by dissolved organic matter. The objectives of this study were: A) to modify the procedure of Tabatabai and Bremner with a view to its application to forest soils rich in organic carbon, b) to determine APA contents in forest soils of the Sierra de Gata mountains, and c) to establish relationships between the APA with different soil parameters. The modified procedure was well adapted to forest soils with high organic matter contents and had good reproducibility, while maintaining the relative simplicity and accuracy of the original Tabatabai and Bremner procedure. APA in the forest soils studied was high but did not correlate with labile P. The APA in the soils studied depended principally on availability of readily degradable energy sources and soil nitrogen (N).     

长期施肥对黄壤稻田和旱地土壤磷酸酶活性的影响

  目的  明确施肥对黄壤稻田和旱地磷酸酶活性的影响及其主要影响因子。  方法  依托进行了22年的黄壤长期定位试验,研究长期施用化肥和有机肥对稻田和旱地土壤养分及酸性、中性和碱性磷酸酶活性的影响。  结果  长期不同施肥处理显著改变了稻田和旱地土壤养分含量,且土壤pH、有机质和有效磷含量变化因稻田、旱地不同所受影响差异较大。稻田和旱地土壤酸性磷酸酶（ACP）活性和中性磷酸酶（NEP）活性均高于碱性磷酸酶（ALP）活性。与不施肥处理相比,稻田上除个别处理外,施用化肥对磷酸酶活性无显著影响,施用有机肥处理NEP活性显著提高,增幅达15.8% ~ 27.1%;旱地上,长期施用氮肥的处理（NK、NP、NPK）ACP活性显著提高了14.2% ~ 29.0%,ALP活性显著降低了20.1% ~ 50.7%,施用有机肥处理ACP和ALP活性分别提高了11.7% ~ 17.7%和9.4% ~ 56.9%,NEP活性降低了10.5% ~ 32.3%。与平衡施肥处理相比,稻田上缺素施肥对磷酸酶活性影响不显著,施用有机肥处理ACP、NEP、ALP活性分别提高了9.1% ~ 18.5%、6.9% ~ 17.3% 和8.3% ~ 15.0%;旱地上, NK处理ACP和NEP分别显著提高了12.9%和12.9%,PK处理则分别显著降低了16.7%和18.9%,施用有机肥处理NEP活性降低了5.9% ~ 28.9%,ALP活性显著提高了50.1% ~ 115.3%。相关分析表明,NEP活性与各土壤养分含量显著相关,但在稻田和旱地上相关性相反;ALP活性在旱地和稻田上与有机质和微生物量磷均呈显著正相关。通径分析表明,除旱地上ALP活性受pH直接影响作用较大外,其他磷酸酶活性受土壤磷素的直接影响作用均较大。  结论  黄壤稻田和旱地土壤磷酸酶活性与土壤磷素有效性密切相关,稻田上施用有机肥是提高土壤磷酸酶活性的有效途径,旱地上长期施用化学氮肥尤其是氮钾处理可提高ACP活性,增加土壤磷素供应,施用有机肥可通过提高土壤pH增加ALP活性。     

长期施肥对土壤酶活性和氮磷养分的影响

10年定位试验的结果表明，有机肥与化肥配合施用能提高土壤有机质和氮磷养分含量，增强土壤蛋白酶、脾酶、转化酶、磷酸酶和过氧化氢酶的活性。其中，土壤蛋白酶、腺酶、转化酶的活性与土壤NH4+-N和有机质，土壤磷酸酶的活性与土壤有效磷和有机质呈显著或极显著正相关。有机肥和化肥长期配合施用，可为作物生长创造一种良好的土壤环境。在水稻生育期，土壤蛋白酶、脲酶和转化酶的活性随水稻生育期递进而降低;土壤磷酸酶的活性在水稻拔节期至抽穗期最高，分蘖期和成熟期较低。土壤的酶活性与氮、磷养分的有效化密切相关。     

Effect of different termite feeding groups on P sorption and P availability in African and South American savannas

Nest structures of six termite species, four with epigeous (above-ground) and two with subterranean nests were analysed to find out how their building and feeding habits could be related to their nests phosphorus status compared with control soils. Termite nest structure was found to affect significantly the P status in savanna soils: mounds of the African Trinervitermes geminatus and the South American Nasutitermes ephratae (both grass-feeders) displayed a greater amount of available P, especially in the inner part of the nest, than the surrounding soil. The abundant quantities of dead grass material stored in the mound can explain the available soil P increase. A similar increase in P availability was also found for the soil-feeder Cubitermes severus. In mounds of Macrotermes bellicosus, on the other hand, there was a drastic increase in P sorption (and a corresponding decrease in available P) compared to adjacent soils, which was attributed to the building strategy of this species. M. bellicosus selected clay from subsoil to build its nest structure. The data obtained for the subterranean species Ancistrotermes cavithorax and Microtermes toumodiensis indicated also that there is an increase in P sorption in mounds when compared with associated topsoils. Consequently, the nest structures of only certain termite species should be considered, and utilised, as a soil amendment in place of fertilisers. This impact on the P cycle in savannas seems to be related to the termite feeding status and to the type of material utilised in nest building. This should be taken into account before using termite nest material in soil fertility status improvement.     

Multivariate analysis of soils: microbial biomass,metabolic activity,and bacterial‐community structure and their relationships with soil depth and type

A multivariate statistical approach based on a large data set of abiotic and biotic variables was used to classify four contrasting‐land‐use soils. Soil samples were collected at increasing depth from a calcareous agricultural soil, a temperate upland grassland soil, a moderately acidic agricultural soil, and an acidic pine forest soil. Analytical investigations were carried out by using a combination of conventional physical, chemical, and biochemical methods coupled with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) community fingerprinting of PCR‐amplified 16S rRNA gene‐coding fragments from soil‐extracted total‐community DNA. The data set of soil physical, chemical, and biochemical variables was reduced in dimensionality by means of a principal‐component‐analysis (PCA) procedure. Compositional shifts in soil bacterial‐community structure were analyzed through a clustering algorithm that allowed identifying six main bacterial‐community clusters. DGGE fingerprinting clusters were further analyzed by discriminant analysis (DA) using extracted PCA components as explanatory variables. Soil organic matter–related pools (TOC, TN) and functionally related active pools (microbial biomass C and N, K₂SO₄‐extractable C) significantly decreased with soil depth, and resulted statistically linked to one other and positively related to enzymatic activities (acid phosphatase, arylsulfatase, β‐glucosidase, dehydrogenase, hydrolysis of fluorescein diacetate) and silt content. Besides organic‐C gradients, pedogenetic‐driven physico‐chemical properties, and possibly soil thermal and moisture regimes seemed to play a key role in regulating size and energetic ecophysiological status of soil microbial communities. DGGE analysis showed that contrasting horizons were conducive to the dominance of particular bacterial ribotypes. DA revealed that the bacterial‐community structure was mainly influenced by organic matter–related variables (TOC, TN, CEC, C_flush, N_flush, Extr‐C), chemical properties such as pH, CaCO₃, and EC, together with textural properties. Results indicate that, beyond land use or plant cover, pedogenetic‐driven physico‐chemical conditions changing with soil type and depth are the key factors regulating microbial size and activity, and determining the genetic structure of bacterial community.     

Effect of gut transit and mound deposit on soil organic matter transformations in the soil feeding termite: A review

Even if termites are often considered as a pest due to the damage they cause to agriculture and architecture, they contribute to the soil humification process in the tropics. This impact on the soil organic matter humification process is due to the most important feeding habit in terms of species diversity, the soil feeding termites (∼1 200 species). Unlike other termites, their diet is not based on lignocellulosic plant degradation, but on the consumption of the mineral-containing horizons for the acquisition of nutrients. They are mostly distributed in humid forest or savannah equatorial zone. High structure and compartment with steep radial and axial gradients of O₂, H₂ and pH characterize their gut and create a patchy biotope. Furthermore, the humic compounds ingested are submitted, during a sequential transit, to different chemical (alkaline hydrolysis) and microbial degradation processes (fermentation, anaerobic respiration and mineralization). During this gut transit, the soil organic matter is strongly modified in terms of nature (organic matter concentration, fulvic and humic acid ratio) and organization (formation of organo-mineral complexes with clay). The soil organic matter ingested is further included as faeces in the nest and the galleries which, as a whole, constitutes the termitosphere. Compared to the control soil, the soil organic matter in the termitosphere is more stable and protected from the intense mineralization, which occurs in the tropics. These shifts of the organic matter into long turnover pool generated by the termite gut transit and deposition in the termitosphere indicate that besides the earthworm, the soil feeding termite has a positive impact on the overall organic matter cycling in the tropics.     

土地利用和轮作方式对旱地红壤生化性质的影响

研究不同土地利用和轮作方式对旱地红壤肥力的影响对提高红壤质量具有十分重要的指导意义。本研究以湖南省桃源县的林地、大豆-油菜轮作、玉米-休闲轮作土壤为研究对象,明确了林地、农地土壤及农地不同轮作方式对土壤化学和生物性质的影响。结果表明,林地土壤的pH、有机碳、速效养分、微生物生物量碳及酶活性(纤维素酶、酸性磷酸酶、转化酶、蛋白酶)均显著高于农地土壤;大豆-油菜轮作土壤的pH、养分含量、微生物生物量碳含量及其微生物熵在大多数情况下高于玉米-休闲轮作,但轮作处理对各酶活性的影响并不完全一致。这种不一致性可能与不同酶对由不同利用和轮作方式导致的土壤性质差异的敏感性不同所致。土壤有机碳和pH与各生物指标均呈显著正相关关系,表明提高该地区的土壤有机碳含量对于维持土壤的生化性质具有重要的作用。     

High performance liquid chromatography studies on the polysaccharides in the walls of the mounds of two species of termite in Senegal,Cubitermes oculatus and Macrotermes subhyalinus: their origin and contribution to structural stability

 The origin, nature and quantity of polysaccharides in the walls of the epigeal mounds of a species of soil-feeding termite, Cubitermes oculatus, and a fungus-growing termite, Macrotermes subhyalinus, found in Senegal, and of soil not considered to be under the influence of termites, were studied to obtain a clearer picture of the structural stability of these materials. The compounds were extractedand analysed by high performance liquid chromatography. We found that the walls of mounds made by soil-feeding species were very rich in sugars soluble in aqueous acid or hot water. Most of the sugars originated from cellulose and hemicellulose, and only a small proportion from microorganisms. There were also significant amounts of stachyose in the mound walls and in the reference soil. This sugar was probably formed by the surrounding vegetation, which was mainly leguminous crops. Comparison of the mineral and organic-mineral particle sizes of samples confirmed that the walls of soil-feeding termite mounds where there is the greatest redistribution of clay have the best aggregating capacity. The results therefore show that the polysaccharides in mound walls of soil-feeding termites are mostly of plant origin. Their influence on the stability of these structure is discussed. The walls of fungus-growing termite mounds contain little organic matter and hence low levels of polysaccharides, which are mainly of plant origin. Received: 19 July 1999     

鸡粪与木醋液配施对滨海盐碱土化学性质和酶活性的影响

施用有机肥是盐碱土改良与培肥地力的有效方式。选鸡粪和木醋液为改良剂,通过土壤培养试验,研究未施肥(CK)、单施鸡粪(CM)、单施木醋液(PA)、鸡粪+木醋液配施(CP)共4个处理对滨海盐碱土化学性质和酶活性的影响。结果表明:与CM相比,CP处理的pH值显著降低0.34个单位,电导率(EC)降低14.52%。与PA相比,施用鸡粪处理(CM和CP)的土壤养分含量和酶活性均显著提高。CP的全氮、有效磷、水溶性有机碳、水溶性有机氮和硝态氮含量较CM分别高出55.32%、103.35%、16.64%、55.68%和45.43%;而土壤α-葡萄糖苷酶、β-葡萄糖苷酶、几丁质酶、亮氨酸氨基肽酶、碱性磷酸酶、多酚氧化酶和脱氢酶活性分别显著增加49.58%、67.85%、40.84%、104.94%、17.66%、62.05%和37.50%。回归分析表明,土壤有机质、全氮、有效磷和水溶性有机碳、氮含量的增加促进酶活性的提高。综上所述,鸡粪与木醋液配施可显著降低盐碱土的pH值,并能显著提高盐碱土养分含量和酶活性。     

Methane emission and entrapment in flooded rice soils as affected by soil properties

Laboratory incubation experiments were conducted to study the effects of soil chemical and physical properties on CH₄ emission and entrapment in 16 selected soils with a pH range of 4.7–8.1, organic matter content of 0.72–2.38%, and soil texture from silt to clay. There was no significant correlation with CH₄ emission for most of the important soil properties, including soil aerobic pH (measured before anaerobic incubation), total Kjeldahl N, cation exchange capacity, especially soil organic matter, and soil water-soluble C, which were considered to be critical controlling factors of CH₄ emission. A lower CH₄ emission was observed in some soils with a higher organic matter content. Differences in soil Fe and Mn contents and their chemical forms contributed to the this observation. A significant correlation between the CH₄ emission and the soil organic C content was observed only after stratifying soils into subgroups according to the level of CH₄ emission in soils not amended with organic matter. The results also showed that the soil redox potential (Eh), anaerobic pH, anerobic pH, and biologically reducible Fe and Mn affected CH₄ emission significantly. Urea fertilization promoted CH₄ emission in some soils and inhibited it in others. This result appeared to be related to the original soil pH. CH₄ entrapment was positively correlated with soil clay content, indicating the importance of soil physical characteristics in reducing CH₄ emissions to the atmosphere.     

浙江省凤阳山不同林分类型土壤酶活性研究

在浙江省凤阳山自然保护区选取海拔相近的6个典型林分类型(常绿阔叶林、针叶林、针阔混交林、杉木林、毛竹林以及柳杉林),在其林下采集土壤样品,分析了脲酶、蔗糖酶、酸性磷酸酶和过氧化氢酶、蛋白酶5种主要土壤酶活性的变化。结果表明,在6个林分类型中,常绿阔叶林土壤脲酶、过氧化氢酶、酸性磷酸酶活性均较高柳杉林分土壤蔗糖酶活性较高而针叶林则表现出土壤蛋白酶活性最高杉木林则表现出土壤脲酶、蔗糖酶活性较低土壤酶活性具有明显的垂直分层分布,土层越深,土壤酶活性越低同时该地区土壤酶活性与土壤理化性质指标相关性较高,尤其是pH值和有机质含量与土壤酶活性关系最为密切。     

Effect of the natural reforestation of an arable land on the organic matter composition in soddy-podzolic soils

The dynamics of the organic matter composition in soddy-podzolic soils during the natural reforestation of an arable land in the southern taiga zone have been discussed. It has been shown that the contents of the total and labile carbon in the old plow horizon increase with the age of the fallow in the chronosequence of soils established in the Parfen’evo district of Kostroma oblast. The parameters characterizing the labile soil organic matter include the contents of the carbon extractable by mild chemical extractants (distilled water, 0.1 M K₂SO₄ solution, 0.1 M neutral Na₄P₂O₇ solution), the microbial biomass, and the light fraction. The granulo-densimetric fractionation has shown that the contents of carbon in the light and organomineral fractions of the soil vary in the course of the postagrogenic succession. The content of the clay-fraction carbon increases and its portion in the total carbon of the soil decreases at the transition from the plowland to the forest. The reforestation of agrosoddy-podzolic soils enhances the physical protection of the soil organic matter due to the increase in the portion of microaggregate carbon.     

商洛地区不同林龄油松人工林土壤理化性质研究

为探讨林龄对油松人工林土壤理化性质的影响及二者间的关系,在陕西商洛地区设置典型样地,采用野外调查和室内测定分析相结合的方法,比较不同林龄油松人工林样地土壤理化性质的变化特征以及不同理化性质指标之间的相关性。结果表明:有机质、全氮含量及pH值在0—40cm土层深度下随林龄的增加逐渐降低,其他理化指标随林龄增加亦表现出一定的规律性;40—60cm土层下,全氮含量及pH值随林龄的增加也呈现降低趋势,而其它理化指标则未表现出规律性变化。相关性分析结果显示,有机质与全氮以及pH之间存在着显著的正相关关系,其中,全氮与pH之间相关性达到极显著水平,其他各理化指标之间则无明显的相关性。