Changes in enzyme activities of spruce (Picea balfouriana) forest soil as related to burning in the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

The effect of forest fire on soil enzyme activity of spruce (Picea balfouriana) forest in the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau was assessed. Six specific enzymes were chosen for investigation: invertase, acid phosphatase, proteinase, catalase, peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase. It was found that the activities of invertase and proteinase were reduced by burning, but the activities of acid phosphatase, polyphenoloxidase and peroxidase increased. Meanwhile, burning significantly (P < 0.05) resulted in the decrease of concentrations of available N and K of 0–20 cm depth layer soil, and significantly (P < 0.05) decreased concentrations of organic matter content, total N and P, as well as available N, P and K in soil at both 20–40 and 40–60 cm depths except for available P at 20–40 cm soil depth. These results illustrated that burning could influence the enzyme activities and chemical properties of soil not only of upper but also lower soil layers. Correlation analysis indicated that invertase activities in 0–20 cm depth layer soil were significantly positively correlated with organic matter, total N and P, as well as available N and P. Furthermore, all six enzymes studied were sensitive to fire disturbance, and thus could be used as indicators of soil quality. Our study also showed that soil enzyme activities were associated with soil depth, decreasing from top to bottom in both burned and unburned spruce forests. The distribution pattern of soil enzyme activities suggested that the rate of organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling depended on soil depth, which had important structural and functional characteristics in nutrient cycling dynamics and implications in plantation nutrient management. The finding that burning effects on enzyme activities and soil properties between different soil layers were homogenized was attributed to the 8-years’ regeneration of forest after burning.