Dynamics of Soil Properties and Carbon Stocks Structure in Postagrogenic Ecosystems of Southern Taiga during Natural Reforestation

Eurasian Soil Science - The dynamics of some soil properties and carbon stocks in the main components of postagrogenic ecosystems were studied during natural reforestation in dependence on the...     

Dynamics of some properties in postagrogenic soils of southern taiga in the course of plant succession

The dynamics of carbon in ecosystems of abandoned agricultural lands were studied in the southern taiga zone. The soil acidity increased in the course of natural reforestation (the transition from meadow ecosystems to forest ecosystems) of the plots. The humus content in the upper soil layer decreased; changes in the humus content were less pronounced in sandy soils. The emission of carbon dioxide from the soils depended on the stage of vegetation succession during the restoration of forest vegetation.     

Structural and Functional Organization of Forest Litters as Indicators of Biological Cycling Intensity in Urban Forest Stands (an Example of Moscow)

Eurasian Soil Science - Annual dynamics, composition, and pools of total organic matter and ash elements in litters of urban forests in Moscow were studied. The destructive litters are shown to...     

Features of forest litters in conjunction with ground cover in the forest ecosystems of Moscow oblast (based on the example of the Chashnikovo Educational-Experimental Soil-Ecological Center)

The stocks and structure of forest litters in a typical biogeocenosis in conjunction with the ecological and botanical characteristics of the soil layer have been studied, based on the example of the Chashnikovo Educational-Experimental Soil-Ecological Center, Moscow State University. The most informative characteristics of the soil layer include species diversity, the relative share of oligotrophic boreal and nitrophilous species, and the soil fertility index determined by the Ramensky ecological scale [20]. The total litter stock varies from 1500 to 6000 g/m² in coniferous forests and from 70 to 700 g/m² in small-leaved forests. The highest difference in stocks between the F and L horizons has been established for vegetation microcommunities with the maximum species diversity and highest share of nitrophils. The increase in the portion of welldecomposed fractions in the L piedmont from 5–7 to 27.6% leads to growth in the soil fertility index from 5–6 to 12–13.     

The distinctive features of biological turnover in postagrogenic ecosystems of the south taiga and their effects on the chemical properties and biological activities of soils

A degrading plowland succession consisting of the plowland itself, lands that were fallow for 7 and 12 years, small-leaved secondary forest, and mature forest, has been investigated. The total phytomass of the ecosystem increased during postagrogenesis due to the development of plurannual wood, while the herbaceous layer phytomass decreased, especially after continuous forest had been formed. Stores of nitrogen and ash constituents derived from easily degradable plant waste were maximal in the 7-year fallow land; optimal temperature conditions and nutrient content in the soil, and high biological activity of the soil were observed at the same time point.     

Dynamics of Soil Properties and Plant Composition during Postagrogenic Evolution in Different Bioclimatic Zones

The postagrogenic dynamics of acidity and some parameters of humus status have been studied in relation to the restoration of zonal vegetation in southern taiga (podzolic and soddy-podzolic soils (Retisols)), coniferous-broadleaved (subtaiga) forest (gray forest soil (Luvic Phaeozem)), and forest-steppe (gray forest soil (Haplic Phaeozem)) subzones. The most significant transformation of the studied properties of soils under changing vegetation has been revealed for poor sandy soils of southern taiga. The degree of changes in the content and stocks of organic carbon, the enrichment of humus in nitrogen, and acidity in the 0- to 20-cm soil layer during the postagrogenic evolution decreases from north to south. The adequate reflection of soil physicochemical properties in changes of plant cover is determined by the climatic zone and the land use pattern. A correlation between the changes in the soil acidity and the portion of acidophilic species in the plant cover is revealed for the southern taiga subzone. A positive relationship is found between the content of organic carbon and the share of species preferring humus-rich soils in the forest-steppe zone.     

Assessment of Intra-Biogeocenotic Variability of Forest Litters and Dwarf Shrub–Herbaceous Vegetation in Spruce Stands

Eurasian Soil Science - The differences in the species composition of the ground cover in spruce forest in dependence on the position in tessera are identified. Tessera is perceived as a...     

Specific features of the morphology and chemical properties of coarse-textured postagrogenic soils of the southern taiga,Kostroma oblast

The properties of loamy sandy postagrogenic soils in the course of their natural overgrowing were studied in the southeastern part of Kostroma oblast. Micromorphological indications of tillage were preserved in these soils at least 35–40 years after the cessation of their agricultural use. In the course of the soil overgrowing with forest vegetation, the bulk density of the upper part of the former plow horizon decreased, the pH and the ash content of the litter horizon somewhat lowered with a simultaneous increase in the acidity of the upper mineral horizon, especially at the beginning of the formation of the tree stand. In 5–7 years after the cessation of tillage, the former plow horizon was differentiated with respect to the organic carbon content. The total pool of organic carbon in the upper 30 cm increased. In the course of the further development, in the postagrogenic soil under the 90to 100-year-old forest, the organic carbon pool in this layer became lower. The soil of the young fallow (5–7 years) was characterized by the higher values of the microbial biomass in the upper mineral horizon in comparison with that in the plowed soil. In general, the microbial biomass in the studied postagrogenic ecosystems (the soils of the fields abandoned in 2005 and 2000 and the soil under the secondary 40-year-old forest) was lower than that in the soil of the subclimax 90to 100-year-old forest. The enzymatic activity of the soils tends to increase during the succession. The restoration of the invertase and, partly, catalase activities to the values typical of the soils under mature forests takes place in about 40 years.     

Features of the Ground Cover and Forest Litter of Artificial Lime Plantations Depending on the Nature of Care

The peculiarities of the litter in three parkland lime plantations of Moscow oblast with different periods of mowing of the grass cover are studied. The forest litter is characterized as destructive low-power with a comparatively low margin. The most significant indicators of forest conditions are total litter stocks, the proportion of detritus, and the ratio of stocks of grass in the litter and biomass stocks of the grass layer, which indirectly indicates the intensity of the biological cycle. The maximum rate of the biological cycle is revealed for periodically extruded lime plantations.     

Influence of fallen plant leaves on biological activity of post-agrogenic soils of southern taiga

Using the example of a successional form that manifests as overgrown arable land, we have studied the influence of post-agrogenic vegetation, i.e., easily decomposed litter deposits, on the dynamics of the microbiological activity of the soil. The largest deposit of nitrogen and ash constituents supplied to the soil by litter as observed for land that had been fallow for 5 years and a 35-year-old small-leaf forest. The biological activity of the soil, which is determined by substrate-induced respiration, protease activity, and cellulose decomposition activity, depends on the aftereffect of soil cultivation, as well as on the quantity and composition of easy-decomposed litter that supplies the soil. As a result of the optimal combination of these factors, high soil biological activity is observed for land that has been fallow for 5 years. This quite high index is also found in small-leaf forests due to large deposits of litter containing ash constituents.