A new fertilization strategy in declining forests

In central Europe and to some degree in North America, the so called “new type” forest damages occur over large areas. Various studies indicate the declines are more or less frequently associated with nutritional disturbances that have developed within rather short time periods. The most common disorder is a Mg deficiency that produces specific discoloration symptoms such as tip-yellowing in Norway spruce. But also K deficiencies and other disturbances exist in coniferous as well as in deciduous forests. Good correlations between the site specific substrate chemistry and the actual nutritional status of the trees and stands were found. To explain the sudden and widespread development of the forest declines adverse anthropogenic influences such as increased N and H⁺ deposition, land use and forestry mismanagement as well as natural stresses are discussed. The hypothesized causal mechanisms are multiple, but include generally soil degradation processes associated with losses of alkaline nutrient ions from the rooted solum. Recent and previous fertilization (and liming) experiments have shown that a fast and sustained revitalization and restabilization of declining forest ecosystems marked by nutrient deficiencies can be achieved. This was demonstrated by chemical and histological foliar analyses and the visible improvement of the trees. Soil analyses also revealed a positive change of the chemical soil status when site and stand specific fertilizer applications were utilized in the appropriate amounts. However, under certain site and stand conditions risks and limitations exist that have to be evaluated when fertilization practices are discussed.To overcome or minimize these influences the treatments. must be adapted to the site, and stand specific fertilization needs as indicated by soil and foliar analysis, humus form, hydrologic parameter and atmospheric deposition rates.     

A new fertilization strategy in declining forests

In central Europe and to some degree in North America, the so called “new type” forest damages occur over large areas. Various studies indicate the declines are more or less frequently associated with nutritional disturbances that have developed within rather short time periods. The most common disorder is a Mg deficiency that produces specific discoloration symptoms such as tip-yellowing in Norway spruce. But also K deficiencies and other disturbances exist in coniferous as well as in deciduous forests. Good correlations between the site specific substrate chemistry and the actual nutritional status of the trees and stands were found. To explain the sudden and widespread development of the forest declines adverse anthropogenic influences such as increased N and H⁺ deposition, land use and forestry mismanagement as well as natural stresses are discussed. The hypothesized causal mechanisms are multiple, but include generally soil degradation processes associated with losses of alkaline nutrient ions from the rooted solum. Recent and previous fertilization (and liming) experiments have shown that a fast and sustained revitalization and restabilization of declining forest ecosystems marked by nutrient deficiencies can be achieved. This was demonstrated by chemical and histological foliar analyses and the visible improvement of the trees. Soil analyses also revealed a positive change of the chemical soil status when site and stand specific fertilizer applications were utilized in the appropriate amounts. However, under certain site and stand conditions risks and limitations exist that have to be evaluated when fertilization practices are discussed. To overcome or minimize these influences the treatments must be adapted to the site, and stand specific fertilization needs as indicated by soil and foliar analysis, humus form, hydrologic parameter and atmospheric deposition rates.     

Environmental pollution and impacts on soils and forests nutrition in North America

The effects of acid deposition, excess N deposition, and elevated CO₂ on forest soils and nutrition in North America are reviewed. While there remains the possibility that acid deposition and excess N deposition are contributing to declines in red spruce, sugar maple, and southern pines, clearcut cause and effects are still not evident. Climate is clearly a major factor in red spruce decline in the northeastern U.S., but air pollution may contribute. There is some evidence that soil solution Al may be approaching deleterious levels in southeastern red spruce forests. Lack of proper management may be a major factor in the sugar maple and southern pine declines, but once again, air pollution as a potential contributor cannot be ignored. Nutrient budget analyses and discoveries of soils base cation depletion in certain sites suggest that base cation status is declining in forests of the southeastern U.S., but thus far, base cation deficiencies are uncommon. Recent research has revealed that there are more cases of N-saturated forests in North America than was previously suspected. These systems are characterized by high rates of soil N mineralization, high atmospheric N inputs, low uptakes, or some combination of these factors. Soil leaching and Al mobilization in such systems is often dominated by nitrate. However, the geographical extent of these types of systems is limited, and the traditional view that most forest ecosystems are N limited remains valid, especially where forest management is intensive. The limited information available on tree response to CO₂. suggests N-deficient plants often grow faster with elevated CO₂, whereas P-deficient plants often do not. Research is needed to 1) determine if the differences in response between N- and P-deficient plants is common, 2) the responses of plants deficient in other nutrients to elevated CO₂, and 3) the interactions of CO₂ increase, nutrient deficiencies, climate change.     

How strongly can forest management influence soil carbon sequestration?

We reviewed the experimental evidence for long-term carbon (C) sequestration in soils as consequence of specific forest management strategies. Utilization of terrestrial C sinks alleviates the burden of countries which are committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. Land-use changes such as those which result from afforestation and management of fast-growing tree species, have an immediate effect on the regional rate of C sequestration by incorporating carbon dioxide (CO₂) in plant biomass. The potential for such practices is limited in Europe by environmental and political constraints. The management of existing forests can also increase C sequestration, but earlier reviews found conflicting evidence regarding the effects of forest management on soil C pools. We analyzed the effects of harvesting, thinning, fertilization application, drainage, tree species selection, and control of natural disturbances on soil C dynamics. We focused on factors that affect the C input to the soil and the C release via decomposition of soil organic matter (SOM). The differentiation of SOM into labile and stable soil C fractions is important. There is ample evidence about the effects of management on the amount of C in the organic layers of the forest floor, but much less information about measurable effects of management on stable C pools in the mineral soil. The C storage capacity of the stable pool can be enhanced by increasing the productivity of the forest and thereby increasing the C input to the soil. Minimizing the disturbances in the stand structure and soil reduces the risk of unintended C losses. The establishment of mixed species forests increases the stability of the forest and can avoid high rates of SOM decomposition. The rate of C accumulation and its distribution within the soil profile differs between tree species. Differences in the stability of SOM as a direct species effect have not yet been reported.     

Influence of vegetation types and soil properties on microbial biomass carbon and metabolic quotients in temperate volcanic and tropical forest soils

Abstract

There is limited knowledge about the differences in carbon availability and metabolic quotients in temperate volcanic and tropical forest soils, and associated key influencing factors. Forest soils at various depths were sampled under a tropical rainforest and adjacent tea garden after clear-cutting, and under three temperate forests developed on a volcanic soil (e.g. Betula ermanii and Picea jezoensis, and Pinus koraiensis mainly mixed with Tilia amurensis, Fraxinus mandshurica and Quercus mongolica), to study soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) concentration and metabolic quotients (qCO₂, CO₂-C/biomass-C). Soil MBC concentration and CO₂ evolution were measured over 7-day and 21-day incubation periods, respectively, along with the main properties of the soils. On the basis of soil total C, both CO₂ evolution and MBC concentrations appeared to decrease with increasing soil depth. There was a maximal qCO₂ in the 0–2.5 cm soil under each forest stand. Neither incubation period affected the CO₂ evolution rates, but incubation period did induce a significant difference in MBC concentration and qCO₂ in tea soil and Picea jezoensis forest soil. The conversion of a tropical rainforest to a tea garden reduced the CO₂ evolution and increased the qCO₂ in soil. Comparing temperate and tropical forests, the results show that both Pinus koraiensis mixed with hardwoods and rainforest soil at less than 20 cm depth had a larger MBC concentration relative to soil total C and a lower qCO₂ during both incubation periods, suggesting that microbial communities in both soils were more efficient in carbon use than communities in the other soils. Factor and regression analysis indicated that the 85% variation of the qCO₂ in forest soils could be explained by soil properties such as the C:N ratio and the concentration of water soluble organic C and exchangeable Al (P < 0.001). The qCO₂ values in forest soils, particularly in temperate volcanic forest soils, decreased with an increasing Al/C ratio in water-soluble organic matter. Soil properties, such as exchangeable Ca, Mg and Al and water-soluble organic C:N ratio, were associated with the variation of MBC. Thus, MBC concentrations and qCO₂ of the soils are useful soil parameters for studying soil C availability and microbial utilization efficiency under temperate and tropical forests.     

Review of denitrification in tropical and subtropical soils of terrestrial ecosystems

Purpose

Denitrification has been extensively studied in soils from temperate zones in industrialized countries. However, few studies quantifying denitrification rates in soils from tropical and subtropical zones have been reported. Denitrification mechanisms in tropical/subtropical soils may be different from other soils due to their unique soil characteristics. The identification of denitrification in the area is crucial to understand the role of denitrification in the global nitrogen (N) cycle in terrestrial ecosystems and in the interaction between global environmental changes and ecosystem responses.

Materials and methods

We review the existing literature on microbially mediated denitrification in tropical/subtropical soils, attempting to provide a better understanding about and new research directions for denitrification in these regions.

Results and discussion

Tropical and subtropical soils might be characterized by generally lower denitrification capacity than temperate soils, with greater variability due to land use and management practices varying temporally and spatially. Factors that influence soil water content and the nature and rate of carbon (C) and N turnover are the landscape-scale and field-scale controls of denitrification. High redox potential in the field, which is mainly attributed to soil oxide enrichment, may be at least one critical edaphic variable responsible for slow denitrification rates in the humid tropical and subtropical soils. However, soil pH is not responsible for these slow denitrification rates. Organic C mineralization is more important than total N content and C/N in determining denitrification capacity in humid subtropical soils. There is increasing evidence that the ecological consequence of denitrification in tropical and subtropical soils may be different from that of temperate zones. Contribution of denitrification in tropical and subtropical regions to the global climate warming should be considered comprehensively since it could affect other greenhouse gases, such as methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂), and N deposition.

Conclusions

Tropical/subtropical soils have developed several N conservation strategies to prevent N losses via denitrification from the ecosystems. However, the mechanisms involved in the biogeochemical regulation of tropical and subtropical ecosystem responses to environmental changes are largely unknown. These works are important for accurately modeling denitrification and all other simultaneously operating N transformations.     

Intensive management of a bamboo forest significantly enhanced soil nutrient concentrations but decreased soil microbial biomass and enzyme activity: a long-term chronosequence study

Purpose

Intensive long-term management practices in forest ecosystems can markedly influence soils’ physicochemical and microbial properties. However, their effects on the magnitude of nutrient pools and activities of enzymes regarding nutrient cycling in subtropical forest soils remain unclear. This study aimed to examine effects of long-term intensive management (organic mulching and chemical fertilization) on concentrations of different C, N, and P fractions and activities of enzymes involved with nutrient cycling in a subtropical Lei bamboo (Phyllostachys violascens) forest soil.

Materials and methods

Soil samples were taken from a chronosequence of Lei bamboo forests with intensive management spanning 0, 5, 10, and 15 years. Concentrations of various forms of C, N, and P, as well as activities of β-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, urease, protease, and acid phosphatase were measured.

Results and discussion

The results revealed that the concentrations of different classes of C (water-soluble organic C, hot-water-soluble organic C, and readily oxidizable C), N (NH₄⁺-N, NO₃^?-N, and water-soluble organic N), and P [resin-inorganic P (P_i), NaHCO₃-P_i, NaHCO₃-organic P (P_o), NaOH-P_i, NaOH-P_o, HCl-P_i, and residual-P] were enhanced markedly with prolonged duration of intensive management. Furthermore, activities of β-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, urease, protease, and acid phosphatase were increased following a 5-year treatment, while they were markedly reduced from 5- to the 15-year treatments. The 15 years of intensive management significantly reduced microbial biomass C and N concentrations by 8.2% and 31.9%, respectively, compared to the control.

Conclusions

We concluded that long-term intensive management led to the accumulation of C, N, and P, while it negatively impacted microbial biomass and activities of enzymes involved in nutrient cycling in subtropical Lei bamboo forest soils. Consequently, a reduction in chemical fertilizers should be considered toward the long-term sustainable development of subtropical Lei bamboo forests.

     

Liming and fertilization as mitigation tools in declining forest ecosystems

In central Europe the ‘new type’ forest damages have been observed since the mid 1970's. Various investigations indicate that the declines are frequently associated with nutritional disturbances. Good correlations between the site specific substrate chemistry and the actual nutritional status of the trees/stands were found. To explain the sudden and widespread appearance of the forest declines, adverse anthropogenic impacts mainly due to elevated emissions of air pollutants and their atmospheric derivatives are hypothesized in combination with natural stress factors. Causal mechanisms include soil degradation due to accelerated soil acidification and increased nutrient leaching from the canopy of forest stands. Fertilization and liming experiments have demonstrated that a fast and sustained revitalization and restabilization of declining forest ecosystems marked by nutritional disturbances can be achieved. This is demonstrated by chemical and histological foliar analyses generally combined with a visible improvement of the phenotype. Soil analyses reveal a considerable positive change of the chemical soil status due to the site and species specific application of appropriate amounts of fast soluble fertilizers and lime. Considering these recent favorable findings, as well as based on observations from historic fertilization and liming trials nutrient supplementation and liming have become common tools to counteract the new type forest damages in West Germany.     

Nutrient limitations to bacterial and fungal growth during cellulose decomposition in tropical forest soils

Nutrients constrain the soil carbon cycle in tropical forests, but we lack knowledge on how these constraints vary within the soil microbial community. Here, we used in situ fertilization in a montane tropical forest and in two lowland tropical forests on contrasting soil types to test the principal hypothesis that there are different nutrient constraints to different groups of microorganisms during the decomposition of cellulose. We also tested the hypotheses that decomposers shift from nitrogen to phosphorus constraints from montane to lowland forests, respectively, and are further constrained by potassium and sodium deficiency in the western Amazon. Cellulose and nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and combined) were added to soils in situ, and microbial growth on cellulose (phospholipid fatty acids and ergosterol) and respiration were measured. Microbial growth on cellulose after single nutrient additions was highest following nitrogen addition for fungi, suggesting nitrogen as the primary limiting nutrient for cellulose decomposition. This was observed at all sites, with no clear shift in nutrient constraints to decomposition between lowland and montane sites. We also observed positive respiration and fungal growth responses to sodium and potassium addition at one of the lowland sites. However, when phosphorus was added, and especially when added in combination with other nutrients, bacterial growth was highest, suggesting that bacteria out-compete fungi for nitrogen where phosphorus is abundant. In summary, nitrogen constrains fungal growth and cellulose decomposition in both lowland and montane tropical forest soils, but additional nutrients may also be of critical importance in determining the balance between fungal and bacterial decomposition of cellulose.     

Global forest systems: An uncertain response to atmospheric pollutants and global climate change?

Forest systems cover more than 4.1×10⁹ ha of the Earth's land area. The future response and feedbacks of forest systems to atmospheric pollutants and projected climate change may be significant. Boreal, temperate and tropical forest systems play a prominent role in carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) biogeochemical cycles at regional and global scales. The timing and magnitude of future changes in forest systems will depend on environmental factors such as a changing global climate, an accumulation of CO₂ in the atmosphere, and increase global mineralization of nutrients such as N and S. The interactive effects of all these factors on the world's forest regions are complex and not intuitively obvious and are likely to differ among geographic regions. Although the potential effects of some atmospheric pollutants on forest systems have been observed or simulated, large uncertainty exists in our ability to project future forest distribution, composition and productivity under transient or nontransient global climate change scenarios. The potential to manage and adapt forests to future global environmental conditions varies widely among nations. Mitigation practices, such as liming or fertilization to ameliorate excess NO_x or SO_x or forest management to sequester CO₂ are now being applied in selected nations worldwide.The U.S. Government's right to a non-exclusive, royalty free licence in and to any copyright is acknowledged.     

Soybean response to copper applied to two soils with different levels of organic matter and clay

Abstract

Increasing the amount of soil organic matter (OM) alters the availability of copper (Cu) for plants under tropical and subtropical conditions. With the aim of evaluating the effects of the OM/Cu interaction on the soybean crop, a trial was conducted with a fully randomized 2?×?5 factorial design and four replicates. The treatments consisted of five Cu rates (0, 1, 2, 4 and 8?mg kg^?1) and two soil types: Typic Oxisol and Typic Ultisol. The soybean responded to fertilization with Cu, producing the highest estimated grain yield at a rate of 4.1?mg kg^?1. Similarly were also observed for shoot dry weight, number of pods and root length. The soil chemical properties and nutrient levels in the leaves and grain were influenced only by the soil type, whereas physiological components were affected in terms of photosynthetic rate and intercellular CO₂ concentration.     

生物质炭对酸性土壤改良作用的研究进展

由于生物质炭在农业和环境中的巨大应用前景和对土壤碳的增汇减排作用,近期成为土壤学家和环境学家研究的热点。本文综述了生物质炭对热带和亚热带地区酸性土壤的改良作用及其机制,总结了生物质炭对土壤肥力和养分有效性及作物生长和产量的影响的研究进展,分析了该领域未来的发展趋势,可为酸性土壤改良和管理提供参考。     

Successional changes in microbial biomass,respiration and nutrient status during litter decomposition in an aspen and pine forest

Microbial biomass, microbial respiration, metabolic quotient (qCO₂), C_mic/C_org ratio and nutrient status of the microflora was investigated in different layers of an aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) and pine forest (Pinus contorta Loud.) in southwest Alberta, Canada. Changes in these parameters with soil depth were assumed to reflect successional changes in aging litter materials. The microbial nutrient status was investigated by analysing the respiratory response of glucose and nutrient (N and P) supplemented microorganisms. A strong decline in qCO₂ with soil depth indicated a more efficient C use by microorganisms in later stages of decay in both forests. C_mic/C_org ratio also declined in the aspen forest with soil depth but in the pine forest it was at a maximum in the mineral soil layer. Microbial nutrient status in aspen leaf litter and pine needle litter indicated N limitation or high N demand, but changes in microbial nutrient status with soil depth differed strongly between both forests. In the aspen forest N deficiency appeared to decline in later stages of decay whereas P deficiency increased. In contrast, in the pine forest microbial growth was restricted mainly by N availability in each of the layers. Analysis of the respiratory response of CNP-supplemented microorganisms indicated that growth ability of microorganisms is related to the fungal-bacterial ratio.     

Twenty years of intensive fertilization and competing vegetation suppression in loblolly pine plantations: Impacts on soil C, N, and microbial biomass

Silvicultural treatments of fertilization (F) and competing vegetation suppression (H) have continued to increase as demands for forest products have grown. The effects of intensive annual F and H treatments on soil C, N, microbial biomass, and CO₂ efflux were examined in a two-way factorial experiment (control, F, H, FxH) in late-rotation (20+ years) loblolly pine stands. This study is unique in testing the cumulative effects of continual H and repeated F treatments for the first 20 years of stand growth, an uncommon operational practice, and in having treatments replicated upon four different soil types in the state of Georgia, USA. Annual fertilization included applications of N, P, K and periodic additions of micronutrients while competing vegetation suppression was maintained for all non-pine vegetation with herbicides throughout the rotation. Measurements included total O-horizon (forest floor) organic matter, C, and N, and 0-10 cm mineral soil pH, C, N, microbial biomass C and N, and surface CO₂ efflux. Sample collections and analyses were conducted seasonally for 1.5 yrs. Competing vegetation suppression was associated with a decrease of total soil C, soil microbial biomass C and N, and soil surface CO₂ efflux, while increasing O-horizon C:N. The fertilization treatment greatly reduced soil microbial biomass C and N, soil pH, and O-horizon C:N, while increasing O-horizon mass, N content, and soil carbon. No significant interactions between F and H were found. The combination of F and H treatments acted additively to achieve the greatest loss of soil microbial biomass, which may possibly have negative implications for long-term soil fertility.     

海南次生植被与其土壤性质的关系探讨

在野外调查和室内分析的基础上,对海南岛热带次生植被及其土壤性质变化关系开展了研究。结果表明,热带森林在不同程度的人为干扰下,形成了多样化的次生植被类型,在调查区域内植物群落类型多达36种。其中,次生密林有10种类型;次生疏林有4种;灌丛有11种,草地11种。结果还表明,不同植被类型的土壤肥力状况从大到小依次为次生林>灌丛>草地。植被性状、植被与土壤复杂关系主要体现在:(1)次生植被类型的物种组成特性间相关性较大;土壤各营养元素含量之间的相关性变化较大;(2)植物组成特征与土壤各营养元素含量之间的相关性系数普遍偏小。     

Carbon,nitrogen, phosphorus and enzymatic activity under different land uses in a tropical,dry ecosystem

We compared total C, N and P, available forms of N and P and dehydrogenase, urease and acid phosphatase activities in soils from primary forests, 26‐year‐old pastures and 26‐year‐old secondary forests in the tropical dry forest region of Chamela, Jalisco, Mexico. We hypothesized that, because of their natural regeneration and greater plant diversity, secondary forest soils would have higher fertility and enzyme activities than pasture soils and would be more similar to primary forest soils. We predicted also that enzymes would be better indicators of land‐use effects on soil fertility than nutrients. Only one nutrient, available phosphorus, and one enzyme, acid phosphatase, were significantly and consistently affected by land use. As expected, these parameters were greater in primary and secondary forests than in pastures. Principal components analysis using all variables placed secondary forests intermediate between primary forests and pastures, as predicted, and total C, N and P, available P, ammonium, phosphatase, urease and the C:P ratio were the variables associated with this spatial arrangement of land uses. We conclude that secondary forest soils showed improved fertility and were overall closer to primary forests than to pastures in most variables measured.     

西双版纳热带雨林次生林的生物养分循环

本文获得了西双版纳热带雨林，砍伐后２块处于恢复演替阶段不同年代的次生林的生物量、生长量、年凋浇物量及它们的主要营养元素含量、对土壤养分状况的影响、以及土壤微生物状况和土壤生化活性等一系列资料。阐明了次生林生物物质和养分吸收、积累和归还的特点及对土壤养发状况的影响，研究了土壤微生物对凋落物的分解作用，从而对热带雨林次生林的生物养分循环作了一初步的探讨，为热带森林生态系统研究奠定了基础。研究表明：１．     

Variation of mineral nutrient contents of modern and heirloom cultivars of cabbage in different regimes of soil fertility

An improvement in the mineral nutrient contents of fruits and vegetables is needed to offset reported declines in concentrations of these elements in fruits and vegetables. The declines have been associated with the high productivity of modern cultivars and to depleted soil fertility. This research addressed differences in mineral nutrient concentrations between modern F1 hybrids and heirloom cultivars of cabbage (Brassica oleraceae var. capitata L.)and among fertilization practices with conventional chemical or organic fertilizers and compost. Crop production was greater with the chemical or organic fertilizers than with the compost. Mineral nutrient composition did not vary between modern or heirloom cultivars or among fertilization regimes but varied among cultivars, suggesting that cultivar selection could lead to production of nutrient-rich cabbage. Neither mass of heads nor days to maturation of crops affected nutrient composition.     

Adaptive attributes of tropical forage species to acid soils I. Differences in plant growth,nutrient acquisition and nutrient utilization among C4 grasses and C3 legumes

Low supply of nutrients is a major limitation of forage adaptation and production in acid soils of the tropics. A glasshouse study was conducted to find differences in plant growth, nutrient acquisition and use, among species of tropical forage grasses (with C₄ pathway of photosynthesis) and legumes (with C₃), when grown in two acid soils of contrasting texture and fertility. Twelve tropical forage legumes and seven tropical forage grasses were grown in sandy loam and clay loam Oxisols at low and high levels of soil fertility. After 83 days of growth, dry matter distribution among plant leaves, stems, and roots, leaf area production, shoot and root nutrient composition, shoot nutrient uptake, and nutrient use efficiency were measured. Soil type and fertility affected biomass production and dry matter partitioning between roots and shoots. The allocation of dry matter to root production was greater with low soil fertility, particularly in sandy loam. The grasses responded more than the legumes to increased soil fertility in both shoot and root biomass production. Leaf area production and the use of leaf biomass for leaf expansion (specific leaf area) were greater in legumes than in grasses, irrespective of soil type and fertility. But soil type affected shoot biomass production and nutrient uptake of the grasses more than those of the legumes. There were significant interspecific differences in terms of shoot nutrient uptake. The grasses were more efficient than legumes in nutrient use (grams of shoot biomass produced per gram of total nutrient uptake) particularly for nitrogen (N) and calcium (Ca).     

亚热带气候环境条件下不同森林类型的土壤CO2通量的研究

The flux of carbon dioxide(CO2) from soil surface presents an important component of carbon(C) cycle in terrestrial ecosystems and is controlled by a number of biotic and abiotic factors. In order to better understand characteristics of soil CO2 flux(FCO2) in subtropical forests,soil FCO2 rates were quantified in five adjacent forest types(camphor tree forest,Masson pine forest,mixed camphor tree and Masson pine forest,Chinese sweet gum forest,and slash pine forest) at the Tianjiling National Park in Changsha,Hunan Province,in subtropical China,from January to December 2010. The influences of soil temperature(Tsoil),volumetric soil water content(θsoil),soil pH,soil organic carbon(SOC) and soil C/nitrogen(N) ratio on soil FCO2 rates were also investigated. The annual mean soil FCO2 rate varied with the forest types. The soil FCO2 rate was the highest in the camphor tree forest(3.53 ± 0.51 μmol m-2s-1),followed by,in order,the mixed,Masson pine,Chinese sweet gum,and slash pine forests(1.53 ± 0.25 μmol m-2 s1). Soil FCO2 rates from the five forest types followed a similar seasonal pattern with the maximum values occurring in summer(July and August) and the minimum values during winter(December and January). Soil FCO2 rates were correlated to Tsoiland θsoil,but the relationships were only significant for Tsoil. No correlations were found between soil FCO2 rates and other selected soil properties,such as soil pH,SOC,and C/N ratio,in the examined forest types. Our results indicated that soil FCO2 rates were much higher in the evergreen broadleaved forest than coniferous forest under the same microclimatic environment in the study region.