Assessment of soil erodibility and aggregate stability for different parts of a forest road

We measured erodibility and mean weight diameter （MWD） of soil aggregates in different parts of a forest road. Samples of topsoil were collected from cutslope, fillslope, road surface and forest ground to assess the texture, bulk density, moisture, CaCO3 and organic matter. Soil aggregate stability was determined by wet sieving. Soil erodibility on the road surface was 2.3 and 1.3 times higher than on the fillslope and cutslope, respectively. The forest soil had the lowest erodibility. Aggregate stability of cutslope and road surface were low and very low, respectively. There was a significant negative relationship between cutslope erodibility with CaCO3 and sand content. Cutslope erodibility increased with increasing silt, clay and moisture content. On fillslopes, MWD increased with in-creasing rock fragment cover, plant cover, litter cover, organic matter and sand. There was a strong negative correlation between fillslope erodibility and organic matter, sand and MWD. There was no significant difference between erodibility of bare soil and soils beneathRubus hyrcanusL. and Philonotis marchica （Hedw.） Brid.     

孟加拉国丘陵地带桔园和灌木林地土壤物理性质的比较评价

The physical properties of soil on two hill slopes of 35% and 55% in orange orchard cultivated by the Mro tribe of Chittagong Hill Tracts （CHTs） were evaluated and compared with those of bushy hill forests. Soil samples were collected from three different depths （0-5 cm, 5-15 cm and 15-30 cm）, digging three profiles in each land use for determining moisture content, organic matter content and particle density. Maximum water holding capacity, field capacity, dry and moist bulk density and porosity were determined only for the surface soils. Moisture content at all the soil depths was significantly higher （p≤ 0.05） in orange orchard than in forest on both the slopes. Orange orchard contained lower mean soil organic matter than forest on 55% slope, while it contained higher values on 35% slope compared to forest. The highest value of the above two properties was found at surface soil in both the land uses on both the slopes, decreasing with the increase of soil depth. On both the slopes maximum water holding capacity and porosity of surface soil and particle density at all soil depths were lower in orange orchard compared to those in forest. Field capacity values of surface soil did not show consistency in trend for the differences between the two land uses on both the slopes. Bulk density value of moist and dry surface soil was higher in orange orchard than in forest on both the hill slopes.     

Drought tolerance of Acacia karroo, a native tree species to South Africa, in Beijing

Acacia karroo is an indigenous, strong drought-tolerant and widely planted tree in South Africa. In order to match the plant with its adaptation to forest sites in China, it is important to know the drought-tolerance of this species under Chinese forest site conditions. Our study was carried out in cinnamon soils in Beijing and with Platycladus orientalis, the most drought-tolerant tree in Beijing, as control. Physiological parameters of young plants of the trees were measured and divided into three groups in response to soil drying. The first group included root activity, ABA content in roots and peroxidase (POD) activity in leaves. Their values changed similarly to those of P. orientalis and dramatically increased to maximum values when the soil water content (SWC) decreased from its normal level of 20% to 7.6% where the three indices decreased dramatically when SWC was reduced further from 7.6%. The second group of parameters included the contents of proline, soluble protein and malondialdehyde (MDA). Their values showed greater variation than those of P. orientalis and significantly increased when SWC decreased from 20% in response to soil drying. However, the proline and soluble protein contents fluctuated in A. karroo at a lower level than those in P. orientalis. In contrast, the content of MDA in A. karroo was much higher than that in P. orientalis which almost did not increase in the drying soil. The third group of parameters consisted of soluble sugar, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). These parameters showed greater diversity and fluctuations among the three varieties of A. karroo compared with the control in response to soil drying. These results suggest that A. karroo is characterized as a strong, drought tolerant species in most of physiological parameters but weaker than P. orientalis in membrane lipid antioxidation.     

Active organic carbon pool of coniferous and broad-leaved forest soils in the mountainous areas of Beijing

In order to explore the effects of different forest types on active soil carbon pool, the amounts and density of soil organic carbon (SOC) were studied at different soil horizons under typical coniferous and broad-leaved forests in the mountainous area of Beijing. The results showed that the amount of total SOC, readily oxidizable carbon and particulate organic carbon decreased with increasing depths of soil horizons and the amounts at depths of 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm in broad-leaved forest was clearly higher than that in coniferous forests. The trend of a decrease in SOC density with increasing depth of the soil horizon was similar to that of the amount of SOC. However, no regular trend was found for SOC density at different depths between coniferous forest and broad-leaved forests. The ratio of readily oxidizable carbon to total amount of SOC ranged from 0.36–0.45 and the ratio of particulate organic carbon to total amount of SOC from 0.28–0.73; the ratios decreased with increasing depths of soil horizons. Active SOC was significantly correlated with total SOC; the relationship between readily oxidizable carbon and particulate organic carbon was significant. A broad-leaved forest may produce more SOC than a coniferous forest.     

Soluble organic nitrogen in forest soils of northeast China

Soluble organic nitrogen (SON) is recognized as a sensitive indicator of soil nitrogen status. The present work was conducted in the temperate forests of northeast China where soils are typically characterized by high organic matter and high organic nitrogen content, and soil sampling was made in early spring just after the freeze-thaw period. The water extracted SON pools in the organic layer of forest soils were measured within the range from 156.0 mg·kg-1 to 292.6 mg·kg-1, a similar magnitude of salt solution extracted SON pools reported in literatures. However, the water soluble SON pools in 0-15 cm mineral soils in present study were much higher (3-10 times) than any other reports, ranging from 58.6 mg·kg-1 to 125.2 mg·kg-1. Water soluble SON varied markedly among the soils under different forests and at different sites. The SON in water extracts were positively and significantly correlated to soil organic matter and total nitrogen contents, but negatively correlated to microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN). The reasons of the abnormally large SON pools and the negative correlations between SON and MBN in the 0-15cm mineral soils in this study were specially discussed.     

Characteristics of soil organic carbon mineralization and influence factor analysis of natural Larix olgensis forest at different ages

Soil organic carbon(SOC)mineralization is closely related to carbon source or sink of terrestrial ecosystem.Natural stands of Larix olgensis on the Jincang forest farm,Jilin Province were selected to investigate the dynamics of SOC mineralization and its correlations with other soil properties in a young forest and mid-aged forest at soil depths of 0–10,>10–20,>20–40 and>40–60 cm.The results showed that compared with a mid-aged forest,the SOC stock in the young forest was 32%higher.Potentially mineralizable soil carbon(C0)in the young forest was 1.1–2.5 g kg^-1,accounting for 5.5–8.1%of total SOC during the 105 days incubation period and 0.3–1.5 g kg^-1 in the mid-aged forest at different soil depths,occupying 2.8–3.4%of total SOC.There was a significant difference in C0 among the soil depths.The dynamics of the SOC mineralization was a good fit to a three-pool(labile,intermediate and stable)carbon decomposition kinetic model.The SOC decomposition rate for different stand ages and different soil depths reached high levels for the first 15 days.Correlation analysis revealed that the C0 was significantly positively related with SOC content,soil total N(TN)and readily available K(AK)concentration.The labile soil carbon pool was significantly related to SOC and TN concentration,and significantly negatively correlated with soil bulk density.The intermediate carbon pool was positively associated with TN and AK.The stable carbon pool had negative correlations with SOC,TN and AK.     

Effects of leaf litter extraction fluid from dominant forest tree species on functional characteristics of soil microbial communities

The effects of extraction fluids from the leaf litter from different dominant tree species on the functional characteristics of the soil microbial community were studied to understand how changes in soil quality and synergism between plants and soil contribute to the process of forest succession. Leaf litter from dominant tree species at different stages of succession were collected and extracted with sterile deionized water. After treating the soil of abandoned land with the different extraction fluids,we analyzed changes in carbon utilization of the soil microbial community in Biolog Eco Plates, then considered these results with those of our previous study on forest vegetation succession in the Malan forest. The leaf litter enhanced the metabolic capacity and functional diversity of the soil microbes, especially in the following combinations:the leaf litter of Quercus liaotungensis–Pinus tabulaeformis, P. tabulaeformis–Betula platyphylla, Q. liaotungensis and P. tabulaeformiss. Second, when litter from onespecies evaluated, the species enhanced metabolism and diversity in the order of their successional relationship: B.Platyphylla \ P. tabulaeformis \ Q. liaotungensis. After soils were treated with different leaf litters at 25 C for7 days, the sorting pattern of the PCA values, based on the similarity of carbon source utilization by the soil microbes,corresponded to the successional pattern on the basis of the similarity of community composition of forest plants.Thus, changes in soil properties caused by leaf litter from different dominant trees probably play a unique role in the successional pattern of a forest community. We thus propose a successional mechanism that underlies the natural succession process within the Malan forest region. When the dominant forest species of the climax successional stage develops during the early successional stages, its forest litter probably alters soil properties such that the soil becomes unsuitable for the gradual growth and regeneration of the original dominant tree species but promotes the growth and establishment of later-invasive plants. In this way, the originally dominant species is replaced by the newly dominant tree species during forest succession.     

中国贡嘎山东坡亚高山针叶林不同林型土壤团聚特征及生态环境效应

Structural properties of forest soils have important hydro-ecological function and can influence the soil water-physical characters and soil erosion.The experimental soil samples were obtained in surface horizon (0-10cm) from different subalpine forest types on east slope of Gongga Mountain in the upriver area of Yangtze River China in May 2002.The soil bulk density,porosity,stable infiltration rate,aggregate distribution and particle-size distribution were analyzed by the routine methods in room,and the features and effects on eco-environment of soil aggregation were studied.The results showed that the structure of soil under mixed mature forest is in the best condition and can clearly enhance the eco-environmental function of soil,and the soil structure under the clear-cutting forest is the worst,the others are ranked between them.The study results can offer a basic guidance for the eco-environmental construction in the upper reaches of Yangtze River.     

Soil carbon characterization along the profile of two forest soils under Quercus pyrenaica

In light of concerns over climate change and increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere,it is of importance to investigate soil organic matter in Mediterranean forests at a profile scale.In-depth studies of the organic fraction are also of interest to improve understanding of carbon balance and to facilitate modelling of carbon fixation in forest soils.This research evaluates the relationships between diverse parameters such as colour,content,and form of soil organic matter(SOM).Two Quercus pyrenica ecosystems with soils classified as inceptisols with a xeric or dry moisture regime,and developed under a Mediterranean climate in Spain,were used to characterize SOM through the complete sequence of layers of the soil profile.The differentiating factor between the two ecosystems was slope gradient.Characterization was done using characteristics of humic substances(HS)as indicators of SOM turnover in inceptisols.Infrared analysis was used to further characterize the humic acids.As soil colour measurements are a tool for soil type classification and soil organic carbon prediction,the relation between HS colour measured by reflection and by transmission was determined in order to establish a relationship between measurement techniques.Infrared analysis and colour provided evidence of a different level of stabilization of HS from both soils,and between the different horizons.Oxidation of humic acids was found to be greater in deeper horizons than in the surface layers.An inverse relationship between HS colour measured by reflection and by transmission was revealed.Both soils showed a clear trend in which horizons presenting lower absorbance numbers showed higher figures of hue and value.A more marked accumulation of humified compounds was found in pedons,(the smallest unit or volume of soil that contains all the soil types),in the less steep slope.This might be explained in terms of the physiographic position affecting infiltration behavior and exposure to runoff.     

Analysis of soil moisture variation by forest cover structure in lower western Himalayas, India

Soil moisture affects various hydrological processes, including evapotranspiration, infiltration, and runoff. Forested areas in the lower western Himalaya in India constitute the headwater catchments for many hill streams and have experienced degradation in forest cover due to grazing, deforestation and other human activities. This change in forest cover is likely to alter the soil moisture regime and, consequently, flow regimes in streams. The effect of change in forest cover on soil moisture regimes of this dry region has not been studied through long term field observations. We monitored soil matric potentials in two small watersheds in the lower western Himalaya of India. The watersheds consisted of homogeneous land covers of moderately dense oak forest and moderately degraded mixed oak forest. Observations were recorded at three sites at three depths in each watershed at fortnightly intervals for a period of three years. The soil moisture contents derived from soil potential measurements were analyzed to understand the spatial, temporal and profile variations under the two structures of forest cover. The analysis revealed large variations in soil moisture storage at different sites and depths and also during different seasons in each watershed. Mean soil moisture storage during monsoon, winter and summer seasons was higher under dense forest than under degraded forest. Highest soil moisture content occurred at shallow soil profiles, decreasing with depth in both watersheds. A high positive correlation was found between tree density and soil moisture content. Mean soil moisture content over the entire study period was higher under dense forest than under degraded forest. This indicated a potential for soil water storage under well managed oak forest. Because soil water storage is vital for sustenance of low flows, attention is needed on the management of oak forests in the Himalayan region.     

Effect of land-use changes on chemical and physical properties of soil in western Iran(Zagros oak forests)

The consequence of land-use change from forest to agriculture and other uses has become one of the world’s greatest concerns.The soil,one of the most important components of forests and containing all the required plant nutrients as soluble ions,is highly impacted by these changes.Because vast areas of the Zagros forests in western Iran have changed in use during the last few decades,the present study investigated the effects of landuse changes of forest area to agriculture,orchard,and agroforestry on soil chemical and physical properties.Soil was sampled at four land-use areas:less-disturbed forest areas(control)and agricultural,orchard,and agroforestry areas.Among each of the two forest-use areas(agroforestry and orchard),we selected five trees with similar-sized crowns and sampled under each tree crown at 0-15 and>15-30 cm depths.Five soil samples also were taken in agriculture area at each depth.The findings indicated that during land-use changes,soil sand particles decreased,and clay and silt particles of soil increased,resulting in a fine soil texture.Moreover,the amount of nitrogen(N),phosphorus(P),organic carbon(OC),and electrical conductivity(EC)of soil decreased at both depths due to the decrease in organic matter.Soil pH and magnesium(Mg)level rose during land-use change at both depths except at agricultural sites.Soil potassium(K)content decreased during agricultural use due to the elimination of tree cover.The level of K decreased only at the depth of 0-15 cm because of K dependency on parent materials.Generally,most soil nutrients were affected by plant removal in the conversion.Forest and agricultural soil are distinguishable by their properties,while land-uses such as agroforestry-orchard separated from the others.Soil nutrients were severely affected by the decrease and elimination of tree cover,plowing,and continuous harvesting,resulting in a decline in soil quality and fertility.     

Changes in and evaluation of surface soil quality in Populus × xiaohei shelterbelts in midwestern Heilongjiang province,China

To examine changes in surface soil quality over time in Populus × xiaohei shelterbelts, we collected soil samples from five shelterbelts of different ages and also from former cropland left fallow for 25 years. Twenty-one surface soil(0–20 cm) properties were measured, and variation in soil quality was assessed using one-way ANOVAs and multiple comparison tests. Based on this analysis, 16 soil indexes were used in a model evaluating soil quality, with each index given weight as determined by the correlation coefficient. Compared with the control, the postmature forest had greater soil moisture content but lower bulk density( P 0.05). The mature forest also had higher soil pH, total organic carbon, alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen, available phosphorus, and biomass nitrogen content, but reduced nitrate-nitrogen and total phosphorus content than the control( P 0.05). Total porosity was highly positively correlated with aeration, nitrate-nitrogen, alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen, available phosphorus, microbial biomass carbon and microbial biomass nitrogen. Soil total organic carbon, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen, alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, microbial biomass carbon and microbial biomass nitrogen were all strongly correlated. In the soil quality evaluation model, total organic carbon was assigned the highest weight and total potassium content the lowest. The soil quality index was lowest in the near-mature forest and greatest in the postmature forest. Generally, soil quality in P opulus × xiaohei shelterbelts varied with age and was higher in the 10–20 cm versus 0–10 cm soil layer. After a single forest generation, surface soil quality was significantly improved.     

Quantification of organic carbon and primary nutrients in litter and soil in a foothill forest plantation of eastern Himalaya

The present study was an effort to understand the amount of litter fall and its subsequent decomposition and quantify the release of available nutrients and soil physicochemical characteristics in plantations of four forest tree species(Lagerstroemia parviflora, Tectona grandis, Shorea robusta and Michelia champaca) in the Chilapatta Reserve Forest of the Cooch Behar Wildlife Division in the Terai zone of West Bengal, India. The most litter(5.61 Mg ha~(-1))was produced by T. grandis plantation and the least(4.72 Mg ha~(-1)) by L. parviflora. The material turnover rate to the soil through decomposition from total litter was fastest during the first quarter of the year and subsequently decreased during the next two quarters. The material turnover rate was only 1 year, which indicates that more than90% of the total litter produced decomposed within a year.The available primary nutrient content in litter varied across the four plantations over the year. The plantations generally did not significantly influence the soil physical characteristics but did significantly influence the availability of primary nutrients and organic carbon at two depths(1–15 and16–30 cm) over the year. The availability of soil primary nutrients in the four plantations also increased gradually from the first quarter of the year to the third quarter and then decreased during the last quarter to the same level as in the first quarter of the year at both depths. The availability for soil organic carbon in the plantations followed a similar trend. The amount of litter produced and the material turnover in the soil in the different plantations differed, influencing the nutrient availability and organic carbon at the plantations. The amount of soil organic carbon was highest for T. grandis(2.52 Mg ha~(-1)) and lowest for L. parviflora(2.12 Mg ha~(-1)). Litter is the source of soil organic matter,and more the litter that is produced by the plantations, the higher will be the content and amount of soil organic carbon in the plantation.     

Wildfire effects on permafrost and soil moisture in spruce forests of Interior Alaska

In the summer of 2015,hundreds of forest fires burned across the state of Alaska.Several uncontrolled wildfires near the town of Tanana on the Yukon River were responsible for the largest portion of the area burned statewide.In July 2017,field measurements were carried out in both unburned and burned forested areas nearly adjacent to one another,all within 15 miles of the village of Tanana.These surveys were used to first visually verify locations of different burn severity classes,(low,moderate,or high),estimated in 2016 from Landsat images(collected before and after the 2015 Tanana-area wildfires).Surface and soil profile measurements to 30-cm depth at these same locations were collected for evidence of moss layer and forest biomass burning.Soil temperature and moisture content were measured to 30-cm depth,and depth to permafrost was estimated by excavation wherever necessary.Digital thermal infra-red images of the soil profiles were taken at each site location,and root-zone organic layer samples were extracted for further chemical analysis.Results supported the hypothesis that the loss of surface organic layers is a major factor determining post-fire soil water and temperature changes and the depth of permafrost thawing.In the most severely burned forest sites,complete consumption of the living moss organic layer was strongly associated with both warming at the surface layer and increases in soil water content,relative to unburned forest sites.Soil temperatures at both 10-cm and 30-cm depths at burned forest sites were higher by 8-10C compared to unburned sites.Below 15 cm,temperatures of unburned sites dropped gradually to frozen levels by 30 cm,while soil temperatures at burned sites remained above 5C to 30-cm depth.The water content measured at 3 cm at burned sites was commonly in excess of 30%by volume,compared to unburned sites.The strong correlation between burn index values and depth to permafrost measured across all sites sampled in July 2017 showed that the new ice-free profile in severely burned forest areas was commonly 50-cm deeper than in unburned soils.     

Distribution of persistent organic pollutants in aggregate fractions of a temperate forest and semi-rural soil

The fate of persistent organic pollutants(POPs)and their interactions with aggregates of forest soils are not completely understood.Our objectives here were to quantify the distribution of different POPs in waterstable aggregate fractions and to study their influence on soil organic carbon(C_(org)) content.Soil samples were taken from a forest-site,Gogerddan(G) and a semi-rural site,Hazelrigg(H) in Great Britain,from 0–2 and 2–5 cm and 0–4 and 8–12 cm soil depth,respectively.POPs analyzed were PAHs,PCBs,total DDT,PBDEs and HCB.The bulk soil analysis showed that the concentration of POPs was significantly higher(p≤0.05) in forest site G than in semi-rural site H,particularly at the surface soil levels compared to the subsurface soil depths in both sites.Total concentrations of PCBs and PAHs of both sites were positively correlated with C_(org) contents.POPs concentrations and C_(org) ,Ntcontents of forest site G were significantly higher(p≤0.05) in water-stable macro aggregates(0.25,1,2 mm) than the micro aggregates(0.053 mm).The POP concentrations of all aggregate fractions after normalizing to their respective C_(org) content were increased due higher contamination and strong sorption by C_(org) .These results showed a strong effect of C_(org) on the partitioning of organic pollutants to soil aggregate size fractions.The present study affirms the ecological significance of forest soils act as a potential sink of POPs.In summary,our results suggest that aggregate fractions may promote soil C storage and act as a potential POP sink in surface soil without increasing their concentration in the aggregate fraction of subsoil.     

Soil remediation of degraded coastal saline wetlands by irrigation with paper mill effluent and plowing

Combined with anti-waterlogging ditches, irrigation with treated paper mill effluent (TPME) and plowing were applied in this study to investigate the effects of remediation of degraded coastal saline-alkaline wetlands. Three treatments were employed, viz., control (CK), irrigated with 10 cm depth of TPME (I), and plowing to 20 cm deep before irrigating 10 cm depth of TPME (IP). Results show that both I-treatment and IP-treatment could improve soil structure by decreasing bulk density by 5% and 8%. Irrigation with TPME containing low salinity stimulated salts leaching instead of accumulating. With anti-waterlogging ditches, salts were drained out of soil. Irrigation with 10 cm depth of TPME lowered total soluble salts in soil and sodium adsorption ration by 33% and 8%, respectively, but there was no significant difference compared with CK, indicating that this irrigation rate was not heavy enough to remarkably reduce soil salinity and sodicity. Thus, irrigation rate should be enhanced in order to reach better effects of desalinization and desodication. Irrigation with TPME significantly increased soil organic matter, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen and available phosphorus due to the abundant organic matter in TPME. Plowing increased soil air circulation, so as to enhance mineralization of organic matter and lead to the loss of organic matter; however, plowing significantly improved soil alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen and available phosphorus. Improvements of physicochemical properties in I-treatment and IP-treatment both boosted soil microbial population and activity. Microbial biomass carbon increased significantly by 327% (I-treatment) and 451% (IP-treatment), while soil respiration increased significantly by 316% (I-treatment) and 386% (IP-treatment). Urease and dehydrogenase activities in both I-treatment and IP-treatment were significantly higher than that in CK. Phosphatase in IP-treatment was significantly higher than that in CK. Compared to I-treatment, IP-treatment improved all of the soil properties except for soil organic matter. The key to remediation of degraded saline-alkaline wetlands is to decrease soil salinity and sodicity; thus, irrigation plus plowing could be an ideal method of soil remediation.     

Investigation of phytosociological parameters and physico-chemical properties of soil in tropical semi-evergreen forests of Eastern Himalaya

The study of floral diversity in forest and its development are incomplete without taking consideration of plant-soil interactions. So with this view in mind, the present study was conducted in tropical semi-evergreen forests of the Mokukchung district, Nagaland, in eastern Himalaya. The aim of the study was to investigate the phytosociological parameters in relation to soil properties.Seven sites were randomly selected to study the soil properties at up to one meter in depth and a phytosociological study was carried out in nearby areas via the quadrate method. In the studied sites, the richness of tree species varied from 4 to 15 ha~(-1), with Gmelina arborea and Duabanga grandifloras being the common species.The highest total basal area was recorded in 10 mile village(47,998.16 cm~2ha~-1)) followed by Minkong village site(32,704.66 cm~2ha~(-1)). Soil physical and chemical properties—i.e. bulk density(BD), soil p H, organic carbon(OC),available nitrogen(N), available phosphorus(P), and available potassium(K) were analyzed using standard procedures. Significant differences were observed in the soil properties. The basal area of species showed significant positive correlation in terms of available K(0.754) and OM(0.302) content in soil, and the Shannon–Wiener diversity index(H) is also positively correlated with the available N content(0.402). The undisturbed nature of the sites played an important role in maintaining the soil fertility and floral diversity of the sites. Moreover, sites with maximum productivity and soil fertility are considered as potential carbon sequestration areas in the region while sites with the low soil fertility need restoration.     

Research on Change of Rhizosphere Soil Properties of Chinese fir Plantation

This article emphatically reviews the difference of soil biological activities, biochemical activities and soil chemical properties between the rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil of first rotation of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb) Hook) plantation. It also reviews their dynamic patterns during Chinese fir plantation development. The results show that the contents of organic and inorganic nutrients in the rhizosphere soil of young, half-mature and near-mature Chinese fir of first-rotation are more than those in non-rhizosphere soil; except for total K in young Chinese fir plantation. Various patterns of soil nutrients in different stages of Chinese fir plantation development are as follows: available N shows the trend of declination in both rhizosphere soil and non-rhizosphere soil; the content of available P also declines, only increases a little from half-mature stage to near-mature stage, but total P decreases from the beginning to the end. The content of available K increases from youn     

Comparative analysis of some selected macronutrients of soil in orange orchard and degraded forests in Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh

Status of organic carbon （C）, total nitrogen （N）, available potassium （K）, calcium （Ca） and phosphorus （P） in three different depths （0-5 cm, 5-15 cm and 15-30 cm） on two hill slopes of 35% and 55% in orange orchard cultivated by the Mro tribe of Chittagong Hill. Tracts （CHTs） were evaluated and compared with those in degraded bush forests, through digging three profiles in each land use. The content of all the five nutrients was found to be higher in the soil of orange orchard than in the soil of forest. But the variation was not consistent for both the slopes. The content varied depth wise also, having the highest value in surface soil in case of both the land uses on both the slopes. A mean available K content was significantly higher in orange orchard than in forest on 55% slope, while it was lower on 35% slope. Surface soil contained the nutrients of K and Ca with the amount of 0.2905-mg·g^-1 soil and 3.025-mg·g^-1 soil respectively in the orchard, while 0.1934-mg·g^-1 soil and 1.6083-mg·g^-1 soil were respectively in the forest. Organic carbon and total nitrogen were found more or less similar in surface soil on both the land uses showing a slight difference. Available P was found only in orange orchard, and in forest it was too little in amount to detect by the spectrophotometer. The degraded forests were poor in nutrient content due to high rate of soil erosion, which would be possible to be improved by bringing it under tree cover as proved by the adaptation of orange orchard there.     

Effects of shifting cultivation on biological and biochemical characteristics of soil microorganisms in Khagrachari hill district,Bangladesh

We collected soil samples from two representative sites at Aatmile of Khagarachari hill district in Chittagong Hill Tracts. One of the sites was under shifting cultivation and the other an adjacent 13-year old teak plantation. Both sites were in the same physiographic condition and same aspect with parable soil type, which enabled us to measure the effects of shifting cultivation on soil micro-flora. We studied soil physico-chemical properties and the biochemical and biological properties of soil microbes. Moisture and organic matter content as well as fungi and bacterial populations, both in surface and subsurface soils, were significantly(p ≤0.001) lower in shifting cultivated soils compared to soils not under shifting cultivation, i.e. the teak plantation site. The most abundant bacteria in surface(0-10 cm) and sub-surface(10-20 cm) soils under shifting cultivation were Pseudomonas diminuta and Shigella, respectively, while in corresponding soil layers of teak plantation, predominant microbes were Bacillus firmus(0-10 cm) and Xanthomonas(10-20 cm). The microbial population differences cannot be explained by soil texture differences because of the textural similarity in soils from the two sites but could be related to the significantly lower moisture and organic matter contents in soils under shifting cultivation.