Humusveränderungen nach Einbringung von Buche und Eiche in Kiefernreinbestände

Humus changes after introduction of beech and oak into Scots‐pine monocultures Medium‐ and long‐term (16 to 83 years) effects of an introduction of broadleaf‐tree species (Common beech [Fagus sylvatica] and European‐Sessile Oak [Quercus robur/petraea]) into mature Scots‐pine (Pinus sylvestris) stands on humus type and chemical properties of the Oh layer (pH value, base saturation, C : N ratio) were studied on 16 sites in Bavaria/Germany. The sites investigated covered a large range with respect to elevation, climate, parent material, and soil type. At most sites, the introduction of beech resulted in a significant change of the soil humus type from biologically inactive humus types to more active ones. The strongest changes occurred on the poorest sites, where forest floors under pure pine were particularly biologically inactive. In most cases, the changes in humus type were accompanied by significant increases in the pH value and the base saturation and significant decreases in the C : N ratio of the Oh layer. However, the latter effect was not noticed at most sites with initial C : N ratios higher than 30. In contrast to beech, the introduction of oak did not result in a systematic change of the humus type, the pH value, or the base saturation of the Oh layer. In spite of the considerable change of humus type under beech to biologically more active types, the introduction of broadleaf trees did not result in a systematic change of the thickness or the mass of the forest floor. A decrease in the mass of the Of layer was compensated by an increase of the Oh‐layer mass. All studied sites considered, the introduction of broadleaf trees into Scots‐pine monocultures resulted on average in an 8% decrease of the total amount of organic carbon (C_org) in the forest floor; the C_org amount in the uppermost 10 cm mineral soil increased by 9%. At 35% of all investigated sites, broadleaf tree introduction resulted in increased (+5% to +18%) topsoil (forest floor and uppermost 10 cm mineral soil) C_org stocks. At 30% of the sites, the stock changes were less than ±5%, and on 35% of all sites, soil C_org stocks decreased by –5% to –36%. The average change in the topsoil C_org stock for all studied sites was –5%. The introduction of beech into Scots‐pine monocultures resulted in an ecologically desired translocation of soil organic matter from the forest floor into the mineral topsoil. It is an effective and sustainable silvicultural measure to restore and revitalize acidified, nutrient‐depleted topsoils with biologically inactive humus types.     

Decomposition rates and feeding activities of soil fauna in deciduous forest soils in relation to soil chemical parameters following liming and fertilization

 This study investigated the influence of liming and P/K fertilization on the feeding activities of soil fauna and leaf litter decomposition rates in deciduous forest soils. The parameters examined were correlated to soil chemical characteristics. In 1994, we established a field experiment with six plots in an oak-beech forest and added different amounts of dolomite, partly combined with P/K fertilization. Two years thereafter a bait-lamina test was used to examine the feeding activity of soil fauna and a minicontainer test to study beech-leaf decomposition. In 1996, the feeding activity in the Ah horizon was lower in the plots left untreated in 1994 than in the plots which had been fertilized in 1994. The highest feeding activity was found in the treatment with 6 t dolomite ha^–1 plus P/K. In all plots, the feeding activity decreased with increasing soil depth. The decomposition rates varied from 0.49% to 0.78% week^–1 in the period April–October 1996. In 1996, the plots treated with 6 t dolomite ha^–1 had the highest decomposition rates and differed significantly from those treated with 9 t or 15 t dolomite ha^–1. No significant differences were found between the untreated plots and those treated with 9 t or 15 t dolomite ha^–1. These results were confirmed by those obtained in 1997. The C/N ratio of litter also decreased, mostly in the treatment with 6 t dolomite ha^–1. Feeding activities in the Ah horizon correlated positively with pH and concentrations of mobile Ca, Mg, K, and negatively with concentrations of mobile Al and heavy metals. We concluded that an increased supply of mobile nutrients and a decrease in mobile Al and heavy metals in these forest soils, as well as a balanced ratio between macro- and micronutrients, led to increased biological activity. Received: 26 June 1998     

Interactions between soil development,vegetation and soil fauna during spontaneous succession in post mining sites

More than 50 parameters of vegetation, soil and soil fauna were studied in 27 non-reclaimed post mining sites of various age (1–41 years old) located near the town of Sokolov (Czech Republic). A clay alkaline substrate (pH 8.5) was dumped in heaps; its pH and contents of available calcium and sodium decreased during succession. Total carbon and nitrogen, available potassium and water-soluble phosphorus increased with increasing successional age. In early stages, i.e. before the establishment of a shrub layer, the topsoil was formed mainly from the dumped spoil material. In shrub-dominated sites (14–22 years old), the litter reserve on the soil surface was higher than annual litter production, and a thick fermentation layer developed below the litter layer indicating slow litter decomposition and soil mixing. In older plots (24 year old or older), a humus layer was formed and the thickness of the fermentation layer decreased. Microstructure analysis indicated that earthworm activity, namely the mixing of organic and mineral layers, played a principal role in humus layer formation. No group of soil fauna preferred early successional stages, but tardigrades, bacteriophagous and fungivorous nematodes, and microsaprophagous dipterans, were tolerant to these stages. The density of most fauna guilds increased in intermediate stages with thick fermentation layer. Pauropods and testate amoebae reached highest densities on these sites. Macrosaprophagous guilds of soil fauna, most important for litter decomposition and soil mixing, attained their highest density in the oldest sites. Two clearly separated clusters of sites were distinguished based on TWINSPAN classification of vegetation. The first cluster included sites 1–23 years old, dominated by ruderal plants. Sites 24–41 years old were grouped in the second cluster; forest and grassland species were more frequent here. The presence of humus layer was selected by a discriminant analysis as the strongest predictor to discriminate between these two clusters. All considered ecosystem components, i.e. soil, soil fauna, and vegetation, passed through substantial changes in about the 25th year of succession and their changes were mutually correlated.     

Incipient podzolization and weathering caused by complexation in a forest Cambisol on loess as revealed by a soil solution study

Surface podzolization has so far been diagnosed from morphological observations, selective extraction and mineralogical investigations. We studied this process in two Cambisol profiles developed in loess, one with a fibrimor humus and the other with a dysmoder humus, by characterizing the chemical composition and the complexing properties of the soil solution. The solutions were sampled bimonthly for 3 years at four depths (4, 8, 13, 25 cm) using both zero‐tension and low‐tension capillary‐wick lysimeters. The leachates from the Ah horizon of the soil with fibrimor contained less nitrate, sulphate and calcium than those from the one with a dysmoder because there was less bioturbation and mineralization in it. Both the complexation capacity and the density of ligand binding sites were larger in the soil solutions of the Ah (4 cm) and AB (8 cm) horizons of the soil with the fibrimor. In this soil, the complexing properties of the liquid phase induced a depletion of inorganic monomeric aluminium. In this environment, the hydroxy interlayered 2:1 clay minerals lose their Al‐interlayers and transform into vermiculite and smectite, which in turn weather, producing large amounts of magnesium in the soil solution. This was found to be a major characteristic of weathering by complexation and incipient podzolization in the Cambisol with the fibrimor. In this process, nitric acid probably contributes to mineral dissolution.     

Physico‐chemical heterogeneity of superficial soil layers in conifer plantations versus original broad leaf forests in Ariege (Pyrenees,France)

Abstract

Changes in physico‐chemical properties of superficial soil layers following the substitution of broad leaf trees by conifers have been studied in four Pyrenean sites. Parameter values may change significantly from native to reforested plots, but sometimes in opposite directions. Initial conditions (historical, pedological, and climatic) were not the same in each plot and the present A soil horizon is highly dependent on these. A lessening of organic matter degradation and humification conditions can be, however, inferred from direct humus observations, but differences between physico‐chemical properties in native and reforested plots are, nevertheless, quantitatively low, particularly in the pH range usually appropriate for conifer plantations.     

Relationships between Collembola,soil chemistry and humus types in forest stands (France)

Soil samples were taken under four tree species in various forest sites located in southern France. For each sampled A horizon of the soil profile, pH, organic matter content, C:N ratio and amounts of exchangeable cations (K, Ca, Mg) were measured, and collembolan fauna was extracted using Berlese-Tullgren funnels. A total of 78 species representing 11 families and 47 genera were identified. The relationships between Collembola and soil parameters were determined by co-inertia analysis which corresponds to the simultaneous Correspondence Analysis of the collembolan data table and the Multiple Correspondence Analysis of the environmental data table. The analysis revealed that the distribution of 10 species was related to pH, organic matter content via C and N and to base cations (K, Ca, Mg). Samples, linking these collembolan species and chemical parameters, were clustered according to humus forms. Collembola seem to be linked closer to the physical structure of humus than to its chemical parameters. Their specific contribution to pedogenetic processes as yet remains to be clarified.     

Relationships between soil fauna communities and humus forms: Response to forest dynamics and solar radiation

This study investigated the responses of soil animal communities, soil functioning and humus forms to forest dynamics and solar radiation. We examined changes in invertebrate communities and soil features in two subalpine spruce forests (Eastern Italian Alps, Trento) growing on a calcareous bedrock, with different sun exposures (north and south), each forming a chronosequence of three developmental phases: clearing, regeneration stand (25-year-old trees) and mature stand (170-year-old trees). Our results indicate that the two forest sites differed in solar energy input, soil chemical properties and the relationships between forest dynamics and animal communities. In the north-facing site, soil fauna communities were very similar in the three forest developmental phases. Conversely, in the south-facing site, the composition of invertebrate communities and the diversity of zoological groups varied greatly among developmental phases. The highest abundance of total invertebrates, and mites in particular, occurred in the south-facing mature stands while the south-facing regeneration stand was characterised by higher densities of Collembola, Chilopoda, Symphyla, Protura and Aranea. The structure of communities in clearings was the same as in regeneration stands but with lower invertebrate abundance. Humus forms and soil features changed with developmental phases in both the south- and north-facing sites, although variations were more pronounced in the southern exposure. Mature stands were characterised by high levels of soil organic carbon and nitrogen, C/N values and low pH, the clearings and regeneration stands being characterised by a greater release of mineral nitrogen. The diversity of zoological groups (Shannon–Wiener index) was linearly correlated to soil pH, Humus Index, the amount of organic carbon and the species richness of herbaceous plants. Our results about the composition and the diversity of invertebrate communities are consistent with the observations of other authors studying south-exposed forests growing on different bedrock types, indicating that such relationships are widespread. The higher densities of invertebrates in the south-facing site may be attributed to higher solar radiation, and the positive correlation observed between total soil fauna abundance and solar energy supports the “more individuals” hypothesis that assumes a positive relationship between the number of individuals and energy availability. Possible ways by which forest dynamics control soil invertebrate communities are discussed.     

Structural relationships among vegetation,soil fauna and humus form in a subalpine forest ecosystem: a Hierarchical Multiple Factor Analysis (HMFA)

Aboveground vegetation, four belowground fauna groups and humus composition have been analyzed in order to investigate the links between autotrophic and heterotrophic communities in a Norway-spruce mountain forest in Tours-en-Savoie (France). The aboveground plant community was recorded in small patches corresponding to contrasting microhabitats. Animal communities and humus layers were sampled within the same patches. The relationships between humus profile, faunistic and floristic compositional gradients were investigated by Multiple Factor Analysis (MFA) and, for the first time in ecology, a Hierarchical Multiple Factor Analysis (HMFA) was used to interpret differences among humus layers. The analysis revealed a pattern with three main groups of microhabitats. The thorough study of separate humus layers could explain this result. The interplay of plant–animal–soil interactions is likely to drive the ecosystem toward three alternative states supporting humus traditional classification between mull–mor–moder. HMFA revealed the importance of depth to explain this contrast among humus forms, using humus layers as diagnostic tools in both inert and living components. HMFA also showed contrast between unexploited and exploited parts of the forest, but the study of soil and vegetation indicate that this contrast does not only hold in forest management but also in geomorphology. RV-coefficients among the six groups of variables showed significant fauna–fauna relationships in almost all humus layers except Actinedida. Plant–soil interactions are not as strong as expected and are even weaker when the soil in question is deep. In addition, HMFA failed to show direct interactions between plant and soil fauna but, paradoxically, HMFA does suggest that indirect plant–fauna interactions are at the focus of the ecosystem strategy that leads to the differentiation of ecological niches within the forest mosaic.     

Carbon sequestration,vegetation dynamics and soil development in the Boreal Transition ecoregion of Saskatchewan during the Holocene

Boreal forest soils have the potential to sequester large amounts of carbon by accumulating charcoal from fire. Some suggest that sequestration rates could be large enough to account for some of the missing sink in the global CO₂ budget, but further data on soil charcoal pools are necessary to adequately develop boreal carbon budgets under a changing climate and fire regime. The primary objective of this study was to determine the amount of charred wood in surface mineral soil horizons (Ah) of the Boreal Transition of Saskatchewan, a fire-prone grassland forest ecotone region of western Canada. A second objective was to use the charcoal data to infer vegetation dynamics and the development of these Ah horizons as a function of parent material type, i.e. glacio-fluvial, glacio-lacustrine and glacial till. The latter objective served to provide information in regards to future vegetation shifts and ecosystem C budgets of Boreal Plain ecosystems under climatic warming. The carbon fraction measured as charcoal is an important component of organic matter in Ah horizons of Chernozemic soils in Saskatchewan and differs from the classical model of humus fractions in Chernozems which suggests that it is a system created from microbial degradation of root litter only. The carbon sequestered as charcoal within the whole ecoregion was estimated at 36.1 Tg, which is the lower limit of the global annual rate of charcoal accumulation in terrestrial environments estimated from experimental fires. Charcoal pools were consistently lower in the fluvial soils relative to the lacustrine and till soils. We suggest a model where dry conditions and low water availability prevailing under the coarser fluvial soils during the Holocene favoured the dominance of low productivity herbaceous vegetation that led to a high ash to charcoal production ratio from fire and to the development of relatively thick Ah horizons through below ground additions of organic matter from root decay. We propose that the more available water in lacustrine and till soils favoured the growth of trembling aspen which, through less frequent/intense fires relative to grasslands and incomplete burning of the woody material, led to high charcoal accumulation rates in soil. The development of thick Ah horizons in lacustrine soils likely occurred during a warm and dry period of the early Holocene (i.e. the hypsithermal) when herbaceous vegetation invaded forested land or during dry spells in the mid to late Holocene (e.g. the Medieval Warm Period) when opening of forest canopies occurred, thus augmenting light transmission to the forest floor and favouring the growth of herbaceous vegetation in the understory. Such events did not create deep Ah horizons in the tills soils as a consistent rock impediment near the surface limited the penetration of understory roots at greater depth. These results suggest that fluvial sites my be the first shifting to herbaceous vegetation in the future due to climatic warming, followed by till sites and then lacustrine sites.     

Influence of clear-cutting and forest age on the nematode fauna in a Swedish pine forest soil

The abundance and composition of the soil nematode fauna in three seral stages of a pine forest chronosequence located in central Sweden was investigated. The aim of the study was to investigate faunal development during the forest cycle (120–160 years). Three sites, clear-cut 3–12 years before sampling but still without pine trees were compared to three sites with 10–130 year-old trees. Together, these provided sites that could be classified as clear-cut, young stand and mature forest. In most sites without trees and with a poor field layer vegetation, nematode abundance was much lower than in the forested plots. Similar major species/genera of nematodes were found in all age stages of the forest development. The development of the fauna could be related both to climatic shifts and to changes in production of food sources.The ratio of fungal to bacterial feeders and the proportions of two groups of bacterial feeders (Rhabditida BF and Adenophorea BF) varied in distinct ways related to soil layer and seral stage. Thus, in the clear-cut sites the proportion of fungal feeders was quite low. This was also the case with Rhabditida BF. These two groups also contributed a rather low proportion in the litter layer, whereas, their importance successively increased with increasing depth of the soil layers. Proportions of fungal feeding members of the Dorylaimida were highest in the 10–20 year-old stands. The effect of forest trees on nematodes was quite large and the faunal structure in sites with pine trees differed quite markedly from the sites without trees.Apparently, there are certain nematode species whose contribution to the fauna is greatest in the early tree-free stages, others are more abundant in the young forest and still others have their greatest abundance in the mature forest. There are also species whose abundance seems to be unaffected by forest age. Nematode abundance was correlated with the abundance of some other groups of soil organisms.     

Variation in soil macro-fauna diversity in seven humus orders of a Parrotio-Carpinetum forest association on Chromic Cambisols of Shast-klateh area in Iran

Soil biodiversity includes organisms which spend a part or all of their life cycle on or in the soil. Among soil-dwelling animals, macro-fauna as an important group of animals have important effects on the dynamics of soil organic matter and litter decomposition process. The humus forms interact with the climatic conditions, flora, as well as soil fauna, and microbial activity. In new humus form classifications, soil organisms play an important role in separation of humus horizons from one another. The subject of this study was to determine the diversity of macro fauna for different humus forms. We determined humus forms using morphological classification, and then 69 random samples were taken from plots of 100 cm² in area, and soil macro-fauna species were collected by hand sorting method. Two classes of humus forms, including Mull (with three humus orders, namely Dysmull, Oligomull, and Mesomull,) and Amphi (with four humus orders, namely Leptoamphi, Eumacroamphi, Eumesoamphi, and Pachyamphi) were identified. A number of 13 macro-fauna orders were identified using identification key. Among the humus orders, Shannon diversity, Simpson evenness and Margalef richness indices were the highest in Pachyamphi order. Arthropod diversity in Pachyamphi humus order was higher than those of Mull. These results showed that diversity of soil macrofauna increase by increasing the thickness of the organic horizons (OL, OF, OH), especially OH horizon.     

Impacts of land use/cover change on soil properties in the Mediterranean region of northwestern Jordan

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of deforestation on physical and chemical properties of soils under native forest in the Mediterranean region of northwestern Jordan. Land use/cover maps of 1953, 1978 and 2002 were interpreted and analysed within GIS to quantify the shift from forest to rainfed cultivation. Six sites were sampled in a non‐changed forest and in cultivated fields, three for each. Different soil properties of texture, bulk density, organic matter, total nitrogen, pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), phosphorous and potassium were analysed. Results showed that many forests were changed into cultivated lands at a rate more than the reforestation. Subsequently, adverse effects on the studied physical and chemical properties were observed. The most affected properties were particle size distribution, bulk density of surface soil and subsoil. Organic matter and CEC decreased in cultivated soil as compared to the forest soil. Cultivated soils were found to exhibit a significantly lower status in physical and chemical soil properties as compared to forest soils. This general decline in the soil physical and chemical properties, in turn, contributed to soil erosion, reduction of soil fertility and land degradation. There is an urgent need to improve soil quality by developing sustainable land use practices to reduce the rate of soil degradation and to ensure long‐term sustainability of the farming system in the study area and in similar biophysical settings. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

葡萄糖添加对不同演替阶段森林土壤微生物及酶化学计量特征的影响

糖类作为一种重要的根系分泌物,如何影响土壤微生物及酶化学计量特征目前尚不清楚,制约着人们对上述过程的认识。为探究糖类对森林生态系统中土壤微生态环境和酶活性的影响,以黄土高原子午岭地区森林演替先锋(山杨林)、中期(油松林)和气候顶级群落(辽东栎林)为研究对象,通过野外土壤采样、添加3种不同浓度的葡萄糖(0.1,0.5,1 g/kg干土),和室内培养的方法,研究了葡萄糖添加对土壤微生物量和酶活性及化学计量的影响。结果表明:(1)随着森林演替,土壤中速效磷(SAP)、硝态氮(NO^-₃-N)等速效养分显著降低。在葡萄糖影响下,3种林地土壤全氮(TN)降低,山杨林土壤C/N值显著大于油松林和辽东栎林。(2)随着森林演替,山杨林和辽东栎林微生物碳(MBC)和微生物氮(MBN)的值显著大于油松林,均为先减小后增加。随葡萄糖浓度增加,3种林地MBC和MBN均增加,微生物(MBP)呈波动趋势。(3)山杨林和辽东栎林土壤酶活性均显著大于油松林。随葡萄糖浓度增加,油松林和辽东栎林4种酶活性均为先增加后减小。BG/(LAP+NAG)、BG/AP和(LAP+NAG)/AP辽东栎林的值最大,山杨林和辽东栎林的值显著大于油松林。(4)RDA分析表明,土壤酶、微生物量及其酶活性分别与有机质(SOC),MBC有着显著性正相关关系,土壤酶活性(除NAG)与pH值均呈显著负相关。本研究说明碳输入增加了3种林分土壤的激发效应,土壤微生物量增加,降低了土壤TN含量,改变了土壤养分化学计量,进而加剧了油松林地微生物N限制和辽东栎林地微生物P限制,影响根际土壤有机质分解和养分代谢等过程,从而影响了森林演替过程。     

Factors affecting soil organic matter turnover in a mediterranean ecosystems from sierra de gador (Spain): An analytical approach

Abstract

Humus formations from forest and brushwood ecosystems on calcareous substrates in representative sites from Sierra de Gador in Southern Spain were analyzed. The humus composition, as determinated by three independent fractionation procedures, suggests that soil organic matter turnover is not related to the vegetation biotypes, but to a series of local factors among which climatic and soil characteristics predominate. Of the parameters studied, the amount of fulvic acids, and to a lesser extent, the relative proportion of soil perylenequinonic pigments (P‐type humic acids), reflected differences in altitude. The percentage of nitrogen (N) in humic acids was the parameter that was most informative of the characteristics of humus. This finding contrasts with the poorly differentiated patterns of the particulate organic matter fractions, whose evolution is probably independent of environmental factors because of physical protection by soil carbonates. The carbon dioxide (CO₂) release curves reproduced under laboratory conditions showed that the intrinsic biodegradability of soil organic matter does not reflect the nature of the plant residues in the sites sampled (170–2240 m), but is weakly dependent on climatic factors. We postulate that the calcium saturation, together with the active participation of inorganic colloids, force the convergent evolution of soil humus by compensating most of the effects of the climatic and biotic factors, and the historic influence of human activity in the area studied.     

The importance of C,N and P as driver for bacterial community structure in German beech dominated forest soils

Among several environmental factors shaping soil microbial communities the impact of soil nutrients is of special interest. While continuous application mainly of N and P dramatically shifts community composition during fertilization, it remains unclear whether this effect is consistent in generic, unfertilized beech forest ecosystems of Germany, where differences in nutrient contents are mostly a result of the parental material and climatic conditions. We postulate that in such ecosystems nutrient effects are less pronounced due to the possibility of the soil microbiome to adapt to the corresponding conditions over decades and the vegetation acts as the major driver. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the bacterial community composition in five different German beech dominated forest soils, representing a natural gradient of total‐ and easily available mineral‐P. A community fingerprinting approach was performed using terminal‐Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism analysis of the 16S rRNA gene, while abundance of bacteria was measured applying quantitative real‐time PCR. Bacterial communities at the five forest sites were distinctly separated, with strongest differences between the end‐members of the P‐gradient. However the majority of identified microbial groups (43%) were present at all sites, forming a core microbiome independent from the differences in soil chemical properties. Especially in the P‐deficient soil the abundance of unique bacterial groups was highly increased, indicating a special adaption of the community to P limitation at this site. In this regard Correspondence Analysis elucidated that exclusively soil pH significantly affected community composition at the investigated sites. In contrast soil C, N and P contents did mainly affect the overall abundance of bacteria.     

Sulfur cycling in five forest ecosystems

The cycling and retention of sulfur were studied in five forest ecosystems: a chestnut oak and yellow poplar stand on Walker Branch Watershed, Tennessee; a mixed oak stand on Camp Branch Watershed, Tennessee; and a red alder and Douglas-fir stand at the Thompson site, Washington. Calculations from foliage sulfur turnover indicate that about one-half of total sulfur input was dry in the Tennessee sites, whereas only one-tenth was dry in the Washington sites. Atmospheric sulfur inputs exceeded forest sulfur requirements in all cases, but three sites (chestnut oak, mixed oak, and red alder) showed a net ecosystem retention of atmospherically deposited sulfur. Net ecosystem sulfur retention was consistent with laboratory-determined sulfate adsorption isotherms within a given location (Walker Branch, Thompson site) but not between locations because of differing deposition histories and consequent differing degrees of soil sulfate saturation. No consistent relationships between soil sulfate adsorption capacity and other soil properties (pH, base saturation, iron, and aluminum oxides) were found.     

The effects of agrogenic transformation on soil profile morphology,organic carbon and physico-chemical properties in Retisols of Western Lithuania

The aim of this study was to determine changes in the morphological, physical and chemical properties of Retisols caused by their agrogenic transformation. The study carried out on Retisols on relatively natural and agrogenically affected land in 2016. Soil samples taken from the genetic horizons of all profiles to measure soil organic carbon, pH, hydromorphic and physical properties. Due to long-term, deep ploughing, the sequence of soil horizons in the Retisol profile had changed from O–Ah–El–ElBt to Ahp–ElBt. Intensive soil liming changed chemical properties and morphological features of Retisol. The clay and silt particles leached out of from the Ah and El horizons to the deeper layers due to illuviation and podsolization. The content of SOC in the 0–30 cm layer of the Ah horizon of agrogenically affected Retisol was 1.0%, and in the forest Retisol – 1.7%; however, forest Retisol was more acidic. Ploughing and no tillage management caused a reduction in total porosity, water holding capacity and plant available water content compared with the other land-uses. We conclude that the use of ploughless tillage on Retisol is not identical to the conditions of natural soil formation and soil fertility maintenance.     

Effects of soil fauna on leaching of nitrogen and phosphorus from experimental systems simulating coniferous forest floor

Summary Long-term experiments (97–98 weeks) were carried out in macrocosm systems simulating the complexity of coniferous forest soil. The macrocosms were partially sterilized by freezing, thawing and drying, then re-inoculated with microbes alone or microbes + soil fauna. Removable microcosms containing birch litter, spruce litter, or humus were inserted into the substrate humus in the macrocosms. Two experiments used organic matter only, and in the third there was mineral soil below the humus. The macrocosms were incubated in climate chambers that simulated both summer and winter conditions. At 4- to 6-week intervals the substrates were irrigated for analyses of pH, total N, NH ₄ ⁺ –N, NO ₃ ^– –N, and PO ₄ ^3– –P in the leachates. At the end of each growing season a destructive sampling was performed, including analyses of KCl-extractable N and P.Leaching of NH ₄ ⁺ and PO ₄ ^3– from both the litter and the total systems was significantly enhanced by the soil fauna. There were also differences in mineralization of N and P between the refaunated systems, apparently due to divergent development of the faunal communities. In general, fauna affected KCl-extractable nutrients from the litter positively, although this effect was less evident than in the leaching water. In the humus and mineral soil the fauna significantly increased the release of N and P, especially in the later stages of the experiments. Soil pH was higher in the presence of fauna, but there was no difference in the pH of the leachates. Not only invertebrate-microbial interactions, but also mutual relationships among fauna were important in the nutrient dynamics.     

庐山山地垂直自然带土壤腐殖质与土壤动物分布特征

沿庐山垂直自然带谱对常绿阔叶林(低海拔,L)、落叶常绿混交林(中海拔,M)和落叶阔叶林(高海拔,H)地面腐殖质及大中型土壤动物分布情况进行调查分析,使用调查数据探究了该垂直自然带土壤腐殖质与土壤动物分布特征。调查分析的腐殖质指标有剖面各发生层厚度、O-A过渡层厚度以及A层土壤团粒大小和有机质、总碳量、全磷、全氮、全碳含量和pH值等,土壤动物指标有类群数、个体密度和多样性指数。结果表明,L、M、H自然带地面腐殖质分别以细腐殖质(Mull)、半腐殖质(Moder)和粗腐殖质(Mor)为主;调查共获得隶属于3门8纲24目的大中型土壤动物2636头,其平均密度为2245.23 ind m^-2,优势类群前气门亚目、甲螨亚目、弹尾目动物个体数分别占总个体数的38.87%、25.36%和13.37%。皮尔逊相关性分析和典范对应分析(CCA)结果表明,土壤动物个体密度与A层土壤养分含量、类群数与O层厚度关系密切,而多样性指数既与A层土壤pH值、也与A层土壤养分含量及O-A过渡层厚度密切相关。土壤动物分布总体特点是优势类群在不同腐殖质组型土层广泛分布,而常见类群和稀有类群则分别与腐...     

Shrinkage of initially very wet soil blocks, cores and clods from a range of European Andosol horizons

In advanced stages of volcanic ash soil formation, when more clay is formed, soil porosity values and soil water retention capacities are large and the soils show pronounced shrinkage on drying. Soil shrinkage is a key issue in volcanic soil environments because it often occurs irreversibly when topsoils dry out after changes from permanent grassland or forest to agriculture. European Andosols have developed in a wide range of climatic conditions, leading to a wide range in intensity of both weathering and organo‐mineral interactions. The question arises as to whether these differences affect their shrinkage properties. We aimed to identify common physically based shrinkage laws which could be derived from soil structure, the analysis of soil constituents, the selected sampling size and the drying procedure. We found that the final volumetric shrinkage of the initially field‐wet (56–86% of total porosity) or capillary‐wet (87–100% of total porosity) undisturbed soil samples was negatively related to initial bulk density and positively related to initial capillary porosity (volumetric soil water content of soil cores after capillary rise). These relationships were linear for the soil clods of 3–8 cm³, with final shrinkage ranging from 21.2 to 52.2%. For soil blocks of 240 cm³ and soil cores of 28.6 cm³ we found polynomial and exponential relationships, respectively, with thresholds separating shrinkage and nearly non‐shrinkage domains, and larger shrinkage values for the soil cores than for the soil blocks. For a given sample size, shrinkage was more pronounced in the most weathered and most porous Andosol horizons, rich in Al‐humus, than in the less weathered and less porous Andosol horizons, poor in Al‐humus. The Bw horizons, being more weathered and more porous, shrank more than the Ah horizons. We showed that the structural approach combining drying kinetics under vacuum, soil water analysis and mercury porosimetry is useful for relating water loss and shrinkage to soil structure and its dynamics. We also found that the more shrinkage that occurred in the Andosol horizon, the more pronounced was its irreversible mechanical change.