The effect of understory removal on microclimate and soil properties in two subtropical lumber plantations

Understory vegetation is an important component in forest ecosystems. However, the effects of understory on soil properties in subtropical forests are not fully understood. We thus conducted an experimental manipulative study in two young fast-growing plantations—Eucalyptus urophylla and Acacia crassicarpa—in southern China, by removing understory vegetation in both plantations, to estimate the effects of understory vegetation on microclimate, soil properties and N mineralization. Our data showed that, after 6 months, understory removal (UR) in both plantations had greatly increased soil surface luminous intensity (90–500 cd) and temperature (0.5–0.8 °C); soil moisture was reduced in the Eucalyptus plantation but not in the Acacia plantation. Understory removal also reduced soil organic matter (SOM), but had little impact on other soil chemical properties, including total phosphorus, C/N, pH, exchangeable cations (K, Ca, Mg), available P, ande extractable NH₄–N and NO₃–N. We found a significant decline of soil N mineralization and nitrification rates in the 0–5 cm soils of UR in both plantations. The decline of SOM in UR may contribute to the lower N transformations rates. This study indicates that a better understanding of understory vegetation effects on soil N cycling would be beneficial to forest management decisions and could provide a critical foundation for advancing management practices.     

Soil seed banks in four 22-year-old plantations in South China: Implications for restoration

To better understand the potentials of the soil seed banks in facilitating succession towards a more natural forest of native tree species, we quantified the size and composition of the soil seed banks in established plantations in South China. The seed banks were from four typical 22-year-old plantations, i.e., legume, mixed-conifer, mixed-native, and Eucalyptus overstory species. Species diversity in the seed banks was low, and the vegetation species differed from those found in the seed bank in each plantation. A total of 1211 seedlings belonging to eight species emerged in a seedling germination assay, among which Cyrtococcum patens was most abundant. All species detected were shrubs and herbs, and no viable indigenous tree seeds were found in soil samples. Size and species composition of the seed banks might be related to the overstory species compositions of the established plantations. The seed bank density in soils was highest in the mixed-conifer plantation followed by Eucalyptus, mixed-native, and legume plantations. Species richness among the seed banks of plantations was ranked as follows: Eucalyptus > mixed-conifer > mixed-native = legume. The results indicated that the soil seed banks of the current plantations are ineffective in regenerating the former communities after human disturbances. Particularly, the absence of indigenous tree species seeds in the seed banks would limit regeneration and probably contribute to arrested succession at the pioneer community stage. It would appear from these data that the soil seed banks under the current plantations should not be considered as a useful tool leading the succession to more natural stages. Introduction of target indigenous species by artificial seeding or seedling planting should be considered to accelerate forest regeneration.     

Determinants for successful reforestation of abandoned pastures in the Andes: Soil conditions and vegetation cover

The Andes of Ecuador are known for their outstanding biodiversity but also as the region with the highest deforestation rate in South America. This process is accompanied by accelerating degradation and loss of environmental services. Despite an extraordinary richness in native tree diversity, more than 90% of all forest plantations established in Ecuador consist of exotic species, primarily Eucalyptus spp. and Pinus spp. This is mainly due to the lack of information about the autecological and synecological requirements of the native species.     

Productivity,nutrient cycling,and succession in single- and mixed-species plantations of Casuarina equisetifolia,Eucalyptus robusta,and Leucaena leucocephala in Puerto Rico

Tree growth, biomass productivity, litterfall mass and nutrient content, changes in soil chemical properties and understory forest succession were evaluated over a 8.5-year period in single- and mixed-species (50 : 50) plantations of two N₂-fixing species, Casuarina equisetifolia and Leucaena leucocephala, and a non-fixing species, Eucalyptus robusta. At the optimal harvest age for maximum biomass production (4 years), total aboveground biomass ranged from 63 Mg ha⁻¹ in the Eucalyptus monoculture to 124 Mg ha⁻¹ in the Casuarina/Leucaena mixture, and was generally greater in the mixed-species than in single-species treatments due to increased productivity of the N-fixing species in the mixed stands. Total litterfall varied from 5.3 to 10.0 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ among treatments, or between 5.9% and 13.2% of net primary production. Litterfall production and rates of nutrient return for N, P, K, Ca and Mg were generally highest for Leucaena, intermediate for Casuarina and lowest for Eucalyptus. These rates were usually higher in the mixed-species than in monospecific stands due to differences in biomass productivity, but varied considerably depending on their species composition. Total system carbon and nutrient pools (in biomass plus soils to 40-cm depth) for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn at four years were consistently greater in the plantation treatments than in the unplanted control plots. Relative to the single-species plantations, these system pools were generally larger in the mixed-species plantations for C (−10% to +10%), N (+17% to +50%), P (−1% to +63%), K (−19% to +46%), Ca (−10% to +48%), Mg (+5% to +57%) and Mn (+19% to +86%). Whole-tree harvests at four years would result in substantial system carbon and nutrient losses, although these estimated losses would not exceed the estimated gains realized during the four-year period of tree growth at this site. At 7.5 years, soil organic matter and effective cation exchange capacity were reduced in all plantation treatments relative to the control. Changes in soil nutrient content from 0 to 7.5 years were highly variable and not significantly different among treatments, although stands containing Leucaena generally showed higher rates of nitrogen and phosphorus accretion in soils than those with Eucalyptus and/or Casuarina. Natural regeneration of secondary forest tree and shrub species increased over time in all plantation treatments. A total of 24 native or naturalized forest species were recorded in the plantations at 8.5 years. Woody species abundance at this age was significantly greater beneath Casuarina than either Eucalyptus or the Eucalyptus/Leucaena mixed stands. Species richness and diversity, however, were greatest beneath stands containing Eucalyptus and/or Leucaena than in stands with Casuarina.     

Pathogens and Pests Threatening Plantation Forestry in Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwean forestry industry, which contributes significantly to the economy, was introduced in the 1940s and is dominated by Pinus spp., Eucalyptus spp. and Acacia mearnsii De Wild. This paper assembles and consolidates literature on diseases and pests of forest plantations to serve as a foundation for management and future studies. Most of the outlined diseases and pests have been known since the early days of forest plantations (i.e. the 1960s) whilst some are recent, signifying their increasing importance to the forest industry. Pinus spp., Eucalyptus spp. and A. mearnsii are affected by pathogens and pests originating from the native areas of the hosts while the origins of others are not known. Disease outbreaks resulted in discontinuous cultivation of Eucalyptus globulus Labill. and Pinus radiata D. Don. that were important species in eastern and southern Africa. Forest health issues impacting on forest production are poorly understood and there is an urgent need to implement a structured forest health survey program and appropriate support to identify current and emerging pest and disease issues. Additionally, this information is important to support the forestry seed and timber export program.     

Neotropical small mammals’ diversity in the early cycle of commercial Eucalyptus plantations

Studies carried out in Brazil revealed that Eucalyptus plantations shelter numerous species of small-size non-flying mammals. However, their distribution pattern inside the Eucalyptus plantations remains unknown. This study aimed at the identification of possible influence of distances from the remaining native revegetation areas and riparian systems, on spatial distribution and abundance of small-size mammals in Eucalyptus plantations. This study was carried at Eucalyptus stands recently planted (0–3 years) at the municipality of Angatuba, Sao Paulo state, Brazil between August 2007 and July 2009. The survey was carried out using pitfall traps at 14 sampling units inside Eucalyptus plantations 60–1130 m away from the borders. With a sampling effort of 2,449 bucket night, the experiment captured 680 individuals belonging to 12 species of small-size mammals (rodents and marsupials). The colonization process of Eucalyptus plantations was apparently initiated by generalist species from open Cerrado. In the present study, we did not find any clear correlation between specific richness and abundance of individuals and the distance from native revegetation areas or closer riparian systems. The study suggests that Eucalyptus plantations are permeable matrices to, at least, more generalist species present in the silvicultural landscapes (i.e. composed by an Eucalyptus plantation as the matrix and native vegetation patches). However, further studies must prioritize analyzing the influence of agricultural/sivilcultural practices (e.g., plantation structure and harvest frequency) on habitat quality and carrying capacity of agricultural/silvicultural landscape matrices, as well as implementing long-term monitoring programs to assess the impact of complete production cycles (some years) and along cycles of Eucalyptus plantations (some decades), on rodents population’s diversity and dynamics patterns.     

Why do Pinus species have different growth dominance patterns than Eucalyptus species? A hypothesis based on differential physiological plasticity

It has been observed that Eucalyptus stands show high growth dominance levels while Pinus stands show null or low growth dominance levels. We hypothesized that this differential behaviour is linked to a higher degree of physiological-biochemical plasticity in Eucalyptus than in Pinus species related to photosynthetic capacity. This leads to an increment in growth efficiency (GE) difference between the largest and the smallest trees of a stand, and therefore to high growth dominance levels in Eucalyptus. To test our hypothesis we carried out a bibliographical survey and reanalyzed data from Pinus ponderosa and Pinus taeda plantations in Argentina. We found that some species within the genus Eucalyptus present higher growth dominance levels, physiological plasticity and GE differentiation than Pinus species. The mean maximum values of these traits reported for any Eucalyptus species were: growth dominance coefficient, 0.48; photosynthetic capacity increment when resource availability increases, 175%; GE difference between the largest and the smallest trees of a stand, 300%. Mean maximum values for the same traits reported for any Pinus species were 0.13, no phostosynthetic plasticity as the most frequent pattern, and 51%, respectively. In Pinus species the most frequent response to an increase in resource availability is characterized by an increase in leaf area or biomass, maintaining a similar photosynthetic capacity per unit area. However, it appears that in P. ponderosa there are some situations, characterized by a high degree of intraspecific competition, leading to a very high degree of GE differentiation which deserve future research. Although we did not find any study reporting simultaneously all variables concerning our hypothesis (growth dominance, growth efficiency differentiation and physiological plasticity) any of the circumstantial evidence found in the bibliography contrasts our hypothesis.     

High genetic diversity of Fusarium circinatum associated with the first outbreak of pitch canker on Pinus patula in South Africa

The disease known as pitch canker results from infection of Pinus species by the fungus Fusarium circinatum. This fungus also causes a serious root disease of Pinus seedlings and cuttings in forestry nurseries. Pinus radiata and P. patula are especially susceptible to the pathogen, but there are no records of pitch canker on P. patula in established plantations. To date, only planting material of this tree species in nurseries or in plantations at the time of establishment have been infected by F. circinatum. Symptoms of pitch canker have recently emerged in an established P. patula plantation in South Africa and this study sought to determine whether the symptoms were caused by F. circinatum. Isolates from cankers were identified as F. circinatum using morphology and DNA-based diagnostic markers. Microsatellite markers were then used to determine the genetic diversity of a collection of 52 isolates. The entire population included 17 genotypes representing 30 alleles, with a greater number of genotypes collected from younger (three- to six-year-old) than older (12- to 19-year-old) trees. Both mating types of F. circinatum were present, but no evidence of sexual recombination was inferred from population genetic analyses. This is the first record globally of pitch canker on P. patula trees in managed plantations. It is of significant concern to South Africa, where P. patula is the most important Pinus species utilised for plantation forestry.     

Stand and landscape-level factors related to bird assemblages in exotic pine plantations: Implications for forest management

Plantations cover a substantial amount of Earth's terrestrial surface and this area is expected to increase dramatically in the coming decades. Pinus plantations make up approximately 32% of the global plantation estate. They are primarily managed for wood production, but have some capacity to support native fauna. This capacity likely varies with plantation management. We examined changes in the richness and frequency of occurrence of bird species at 32 plots within a Pinus radiata plantation (a management unit comprising multiple Pinus stands) in south-eastern Australia. Plots were stratified by distance to native forest, stand age class and thinning regime. We also assessed the landscape context of each plot to determine relationships between bird assemblages and stand and landscape-level factors. Bird species richness was significantly higher at plots ≥300 m from native forest and in mature (∼20 years since planting) and old (∼27 years since planting) thinned pine stands. We were able to separate the often confounding effects of stand age and thinning regime by including old stands that had never been thinned. These stands had significantly fewer species than thinned stands suggesting thinning regime, not age is a key factor to improving the capacity of pine plantations to support native species (although an age × thinning interaction may influence this result). At the landscape level, species richness increased in pine stands when they were closer to native riparian vegetation. There were no significant differences in species composition across plots. Our study indicates the importance of stand thinning and retention of native riparian vegetation in improving the value of pine plantations for the conservation of native fauna.     

Comparison of foliar nutrient concentrations between natural and artificial forests of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica on sandy land, China

In order to examine the causes of degradation of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica plantations on sandy land, the foliar concentrations of N, P, K and C were analyzed and compared between the field grown P. sylvestris var. mongolica trees from two provenances （natural forests and plantations）. The results indicated that natural tree needles had lower N, P and C concentrations, and higher K concentrations than those of plantation tree needles. For plantation tree needles, ratios of N： P, P. K and N： K increased with tree age before 45 years old; but they were not clear for the natural tree needles. Compared with the conclusions reported on Pinus spp., we found that the foliar N and P concentrations were in the optimal range for both natural and plantation tree needles. This result suggested that N or P might not be the absolute limit factors in plant nutrient for P sylvestris var. mongolica on sandy land. However, foliar K concentrations in both natural and plantation tree needles were much lower than those reported on Pinus spp. （〉4.80 g kg-1）.The N： P ratio of natural needles was in the adequate ranges, but N： P ratio of plantation needles was out of the adequate ranges. These results indicated that there was a better balanced nutrition status in the natural forest than in the plantations. If only considering the foliar nutrient concentrations of P sylvestris var. mongolica from different provenances, it might be concluded that the degradation phenomenon of P. sylvestris var. mongolica plantations was not induced by nutrition deficiency of absolute nutrients of N and P, but might be induced by other mineral nutrients or by the effectiveness of N and P nutrients. The unbalanced nutrition status and relatively quick decomposition of needles in the plantations might also contribute to the degradation.     

Herbivory, pathogens, and epiphylls in Araucaria Forest and ecologically-managed tree monocultures

Over the last centuries, natural forests have been replaced by extensive and homogeneous tree monocultures that cause strong impacts on ecological interactions and ecosystem processes. We expect, however, that ecologically-sustainable management practices can help to mitigate these effects. This study investigates how the replacement of Araucaria Forest by ecologically-managed tree monocultures affects leaf damage patterns produced by external chewers, internal chewers, leaf miners, galling insects, and pathogens, as well as the incidence of epiphylls. The study was performed in the São Francisco de Paula National Forest (southern Brazil) on 12 1-ha plots of Araucaria Forest and ecologically managed plantations of Araucaria, Pinus and Eucalyptus. Overall, 9955 leaves of the understory community (up to 1 m tall) were sampled and analyzed. The mean and the frequency distribution pattern of leaf damage were very similar between Araucaria Forest and all three tree monocultures. Also, there was no difference between habitats in the percentage of leaves attacked by different feeding guilds of insect herbivores and by pathogens. Araucaria Forest had a higher percentage of leaves with epiphylls than Eucalyptus plantation, probably due to its shadier and moister microclimate. Ecologically managed tree monocultures sustain a wide variety of herbivorous insects, pathogens and epiphylls which helps the maintenance of key ecological interactions and the functioning of the ecosystem.     

Effects of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eucalypt</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acacia</Emphasis> plantations on soil water in Sumatra

Indonesia’s pulp and paper industry needs a large area of sustainably grown plantations to support its continued development. Acacia mangium has been the key species underpinning the pulp and paper industries in Sumatra, however increased disease pressure on A. mangium is expected to require large-scale conversion of Acacia plantations to Eucalyptus in the near future. The effect of such a large scale change in plantation species on soil moisture, for both tree production, and catchment hydrology is unknown. In this study we sought to characterize the impacts of plantation species (Acacia or Eucalyptus) and nitrogen management, on soil moisture, soil water depletion and depth to groundwater under stands of Acacia mangium and Eucalyptus pellita over the first 2–3 years after establishment. The study was conducted in experiments at four sites in Sumatra, Indonesia. Soil moisture and soil water depletion were not influenced by plantation species or fertilizer treatment. Soil moisture content and soil water depletion were strongly influenced by shallow groundwater at two of the four sites, however depth to groundwater did not influence stem growth. Results from the field trials cautiously suggest that large scale conversion of Acacia mangium to Eucalypt species in these regions is unlikely to result in increased moisture stress, nor is conversion of plantation species likely to lead to substantial differences in catchment hydrology. This study demonstrated the importance of conducting multi-site studies when investigating biophysical relationships in forest/plantation systems.     

A Synthesis of the Available Evidence to Guide the Design of Mixed-Species Forest Plantings for Smallholder and Community Forestry

There is growing interest in using multi-species plantation systems when undertaking reforestation for timber production. Such plantations can have ecological and socio-economic advantages over those of traditional monocultures. Despite increasing evidence about the functional advantages of increasing species richness in reforestation, there are few silvicultural guidelines to assist in the design and management of multi-species plantings. This paper presents the results of a systematic assessment of previous studies of mixed-species plantings with a particular focus on their advantages and disadvantages for meeting the needs of rural smallholders and communities in tropical regions. Research on mixed-species plantations has increased in recent years. Many earlier studies were concerned with the capacity of mixed-species plantings to improve productivity or the nutritional impacts of mixtures. Many of these studies emphasised young plantations and mixtures of a few relatively fast-growing Acacia, Eucalyptus and Pinus species. More recent studies have explored a wider range of outcomes arising from using mixtures including on the supply of ecosystem services. Issues deserving further study concern the economic advantages or disadvantages of mixed-species plantations, how these plantations might be designed to suit various environmental and socio-economic situations, and how to manage older mixed-species plantations where the interactions between species may be different to those in younger plantations. There is also a need to explore how increased species richness may affect the capacity of new plantations to withstand damage from insect pests or disturbances such as storms or wildfire.     

Growth and physiological responses to silviculture for producing solid-wood products from Eucalyptus plantations: An Australian perspective

We review the main silvicultural interventions used when managing Eucalyptus plantations for solid-wood products, including fertilising, pruning and thinning. The growth of a plantation and the quality of the wood produced is closely linked to the development of the tree crowns. These silvicultural interventions influence crown dynamics and can interact with each other, as well as the species, site and the age at which they are applied. This review focuses on the growth and physiological responses observed in Eucalyptus plantations, particularly from an Australian perspective. The implications for wood quality, while given some attention, are beyond the scope of this review.     

Establishment and early growth of introduced indigenous tree species in typical plantations and shrubland in South China

Unsuccessful colonization by indigenous tree species into established plantations has retarded the succession of artificial plantations to more natural, secondary forests in South China. To understand how to improve colonization by seedlings of indigenous species, we determined how performance of indigenous seedlings is affected by seedling species (the shade-intolerant Castanopsis chinensis, the moderately shade-intolerant Michelia chapensis, and the shade-tolerant Psychotria rubra), the site into which the seedlings were transplanted (a mixed-legume plantation, a eucalyptus plantation, a mixed-native plantation, a mixed-conifer plantation, and a shrubland), and site preparation (removal or retention of understory vegetation and litter). Seedling survival and growth were generally increased by removal of understory vegetation and litter. C. chinensis and M. chapensis grew better in the mixed-legume and mixed-conifer plantations, while P. rubra grew better in mixed-native and mixed-conifer plantations. Responses of the transplanted seedlings to environmental factors were species specific. The effects of light on seedling survival and growth were correlated with the shade tolerance of the species. Soil moisture was important; it was positively correlated with survival but negatively correlated with growth of C. chinensis seedlings. Growth of C. chinensis and M. chapensis was positively correlated with soil potassium, while growth of P. rubra was positively correlated with soil organic matter but negatively correlated with soil hydrolyzed nitrogen. These findings suggest that we should select suitable native species under the different plantations before improvement of plantations. Light and soil moisture are most important environmental factors for the selection of species specific. Site preparation and fertilizer are needed during the improvement of those plantations.     

Warming effect on growth and physiology of seedlings of Betula albo-sinensis and Abies faxoniana under two contrasting light conditions in subalpine coniferous forests of western Sichuan, China

The subalpine coniferous forests on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau provide a natural laboratory for studying the effect of climate warming on terrestrial ecosystems. Research on differences between tree species in their responses to experimental warming can provide insights into their regeneration behavior and community composition under a future warmer climate. We used open-top chamber (OTC) to determine the short-term effect of two levels of air temperature (ambient and warmed) and light (full light and ca. 10% of full-light regimes) on the early growth and physiology of Betula albo-sinensis and Abies faxoniana seedlings. The OTC manipulation increased mean air temperature and soil surface temperature by 0.51 and 0.34°C, respectively, in a 60-year-old plantation and 0.69 and 0.41°C in forest openings, respectively. Warming generally increased plant growth, biomass accumulation, and advanced physiological processes for seedlings of both species. In response to warming, both tree species allocated relatively more biomass to foliage and had significantly decreased root/shoot ratios (R/S), which might provide the two species with an adaptive advantage when other environmental factors were not limiting. Warming may enhance photosynthesis in the two seedlings by increasing efficiency of PSII in terms of increases in F _v/F _m, photosynthetic pigment concentrations, and apparent quantum yield (Φ). However, the effects of warming on seedling growth and physiological performance varied by light conditions and species. For B. albo-sinensis seedlings, the effects of warming were pronounced only under full-light conditions, while the growth and physiological responses of A. faxoniana seedlings to warming were found only under low-light conditions. Competitive and adaptive relationships between the two species may be altered as a result of response differences to warming manipulation. The shortterm beneficial impact of warming on the early growth and development of the two species suggests that global warming may lead to changes in regeneration dynamics and species composition in subalpine coniferous forest ecosystems.     

Effects of forest cover types and environmental factors on soil respiration dynamics in a coastal sand dune of subtropical China

Trees on sand dunes are more sensitive to environmental changes because sandy soils have extremely low water holding capacity and nutrient availability. We investigated the dynamics of soil respiration(Rs) for secondary natural Litsea forest and plantations of casuarina,pine, acacia and eucalyptus. Results show that significant diurnal variations of Rsoccurred in autumn for the eucalyptus species and in summer for the pine species, with higher mean soil respiration at night. However, significant seasonal variations of Rswere found in all five forest stands. Rschanged exponentially with soil temperatures at the 10-cm depth; the models explain 43.3–77.0% of Rs variations. Positive relationships between seasonal Rsand soil moisture varied with stands. The correlations were significant only in the secondary forest, and the eucalyptus and pine plantations. The temperature sensitivity parameter(Q10 value) of Rsranged from 1.64 in casuarina plantation to 2.32 the in secondary forest; annual Rswas highest in the secondary forest and lowest in the pine plantation. The results indicate that soil temperatures and moisture are the primary environmental controls of soil respiration and mainly act through a direct influence on roots and microbial activity. Differences in root biomass, quality of litter,and soil properties(pH, total N, available P, and exchangeable Mg) were also significant factors.     

固氮树种对第二代桉树人工林土壤微生物生物量和结构的影响

为了探究固氮树种对我国南方亚热带地区第二代桉树人工林土壤微生物生物量和结构影响及其机制,采用磷脂脂肪酸分析方法分别在干季和湿季研究了第二代桉树纯林和第二代桉树/固氮树种混交林的土壤微生物群落生物量和结构。结果表明:与纯林相比,混交林土壤(0 10 cm)的有机碳含量、铵态氮、硝态氮、总氮、凋落物生物量分别提高了17.77%、41.62%、85.59%、25.38%、19.12%,除土壤有机碳外,其它在统计学上均达到了显著性差异(p0.05);混交林的细菌生物量显著增加,但其真菌生物量显著减少;同时,混交林的总细菌、革兰氏阳性细菌相对百分含量在干季显著提高,真菌的相对百分含量却显著降低;但在湿季,除总细菌外,其它微生物群落结构没有显著差异。主成分分析(PCA)表明:第二主成分轴能明显把第二代桉树混交林和纯林的土壤微生物群落区分开来(p0.05),这种差异主要体现在混交林具有较高的细菌相对百分含量和相对较低的真菌相对百分含量。冗余度分析(RDA)表明:凋落物生物量、凋落物C/N、铵态氮、有机碳含量是驱动我国南方第二代桉树人工林土壤微生物群落结构发生变化的主要因子。此外,壕沟切根试验表明根系及其分泌物可能是第二代桉树人工林土壤微生物的重要碳源。     

杉木纯林、混交林土壤微生物特性和土壤养分的比较研究

本文于2005年5月份,在中国科学院会同森林生态实验站选择了一块15年生的杉木纯林和两块15年生杉阔混交林作为研究对象,调查了林地土壤有机碳、全氮、全磷、硝态氮、有效磷和土壤微生物碳、氮、磷、基础呼吸以及呼吸熵,比较了纯林和混交林土壤微生物特性和土壤养分.结果表明,杉阔混交林的土壤有机碳、全氮、全磷硝态氮和有效磷含量高于杉木纯林;在混交林中,土壤微生物学特性得到改善.在0(10 cm和10(20 cm两层土壤中,杉阔混交林土壤微生物氮含量分别比杉木纯林高69%和61%.在0(10 cm土层,杉阔混交林土壤微生物碳、磷和基础呼吸分别比杉木纯林高11%、14%和4%;在10(20 cm土层,分别高6%、3%和3%.但是,杉阔混交林土壤微生物碳:氮比和呼吸熵较杉木纯林低34%和4%.另外,土壤微生物与土壤养分的相关性高于土壤呼吸、微生物碳:氮比和呼吸熵与土壤养分的相关性.由此可知,在针叶纯林中引入阔叶树后,土壤肥力得以改善,并有利于退化森林土壤的恢复.     

Effects of differences in forest floor and canopy vegetation on ectomycorrhizas ofBetula platyphylla var.japonica: A test using seedlings planted into soils taken from various sites

Effects of different forest floor vegetation types in secondary forest and of conversion to plantation on the quality and quantity of ectomycorrhizas are mostly unknown.Betula platyphylla var.japonica seedlings were used for bioassays of ectomycorrhizal fungal inoculum using soils from four 50-year-oldB. platyphylla var.japonica forests that had different types of forest floor vegetation: two with shrub types, one with aSasa type, and one with a grass type. Seedlings were also grown in soil from a nearby monospecific plantation ofChamaecyparis obtusa. Ectomycorrhizas formed 13 to 26% of root length of seedlings grown in soil from the five different sites. The maximum percentage of ectomycorrhizal formation was obtained from the grass-type forest. The dominant type of ectomycorrhiza in the two shrub-type forest soils was the same as that in theSasa-type forest soil. The dominant types of ectomycorrhizas in the grass-type forest soil and in theC. obtusa plantation soil were different from that in the two shrub-type forest soils and in theSasa-type forest soil. The results of this investigation suggest that the type of forest floor vegetation, accompanied with changes in thickness of the A₀ horizon, might affect the ectomycorrhizal fungi in the soils ofB. platyphylla var.japonica forests. Establishment of artificial plantations ofC. obtusa might change the ectomycorrhizal fungi that could associate withB. platyphylla var.japonica seedlings in soil.