The influence of understory vine maple on forest floor and mineral soil properties in coastal temperate forests

2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. C. Tashe ◽  
M. G. Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
C:N Ratio ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Available P ◽  
P Availability ◽  
Plant Interactions ◽  
Coastal Forests ◽  
Exchangeable Bases ◽  
Mineralizable N

In coastal forests of the Pacific Northwest, vine maple (Acer circinatum Pursh) is a common understory tree species. We studied the influence of vine maple, growing in the understory of a stand of Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] and western hemlock [Tsuga heterophylla (RAF.) Sarg.], on forest floor and mineral soil properties. Fifteen (in a 75-yr-old stand) and 12 (in a 130-yr-old stand) plots containing vine maple were compared to paired plots without the influence of vine maple. Mull humus was dominant under vine maples, while mor humus was mainly found under conifers at the 130 yr-old stand. Common to both stands in the upper mineral soil were greater mineralizable N and total exchangeable bases under vine maple. At the 75-yr-old stand, the forest floor had a higher pH and greater total exchangeable base concentration, while the mineral soil had a lower C:N ratio, greater NO3-availability and lower available P concentration and content under vine maple compared to conifers. The 130-yr-old stand had less available P content and greater concentrations of mineralizable N and exchangeable Mg in the forest floor under vine maple. Results suggest that the presence of vine maple may enhance the availability of N and exchangeable bases, but may adversely affect P availability. Key words: Vine maple, soil-plant interactions, forest floor, Acer circinatum

Quantitative characterization of nutrient regimes in some boreal forest soils

1994 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karel Klinka ◽  
Gordon J. Kayahara ◽  
Qingli Wang
Keyword(s):  
Forest Floor ◽  
C:N Ratio ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
Site Index ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Single Measure ◽  
Quantitative Classification ◽  
Mineralizable N ◽  
Boreal Soils

In order to assess to what extent soil nutrient properties support differentiation of field-identified soil nutrient regimes, composite samples from each forest floor and 0–30 cm of the mineral soil were collected from 116 forest stands in central British Columbia. The samples were analyzed for acidity, total carbon (tC), total nitrogen (tN), mineralizable-N (min-N), and extractable Ca, Mg, K, P, and SO4-S (eCa, eMg, eK, eP, eSO4); and the results were expressed as concentrations on a dry-mass basis. Mineralizable-N of the mineral soil showed (1) the largest amount of variation in the population of sampled soils, (2) significant differences (P < 0.01) among field-identified soil nutrient regimes, and (3) strong correlations with tC, tN, and eCa, eMg, and eK. Using mineral soil min-N as a differentiating characteristic, the following limiting values (mg kg−1) were proposed to provide an objective means of defining soil nutrient regimes: < 2 for very poor, 2–8.9 for poor, 9–27.4 for medium, 27.5–110 for rich, and > 110 for very rich. Site index (height at 50 yr breast height age) of lodge-pole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud) and interior spruce [Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelmann × P. glauca (Moench) Voss] increased from very poor to very rich soils; however, the differences among site indices of contiguous soil nutrient regimes were largely insignificant. Regression analysis indicated that (1) soil moisture accounts for the largest proportion of the variation in site index, (2) models using C:N ratio of the forest floor and 0–30 cm of the mineral soil had a stronger relationship with site index (0.38 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.43, standard error < 3.0 m) than those using min-N. These results gave further evidence that min-N in the 0–30 mineral soil is a good single measure representing soil nutrient conditions, and justify the use of the existing field procedure for estimating soil nutrient regimes in montane boreal soils. Key words: Boreal soils, soil nutrient regime, quantitative classification, mineralizable-N, site index

scholarly journals Integrated Effects of Co-Inoculation with Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria and N2-Fixing Bacteria on Microbial Population and Soil Amendment Under C Deficiency

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (13) ◽  
pp. 2442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhikang Wang ◽  
Ziyun Chen ◽  
Xiangxiang Fu
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Soil Amendment ◽  
Growth Promotion ◽  
Synergistic Effects ◽  
Available P ◽  
P Availability ◽  
Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria ◽  
Unsterilized Soil ◽  
Phosphate Solubilizing

The inoculation of beneficial microorganisms to improve plant growth and soil properties is a promising strategy in the soil amendment. However, the effects of co-inoculation with phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and N2-fixing bacteria (NFB) on the soil properties of typical C-deficient soil remain unclear. Based on a controlled experiment and a pot experiment, we examined the effects of PSB (M: Bacillus megaterium and F: Pseudomonas fluorescens), NFB (C: Azotobacter chroococcum and B: Azospirillum brasilence), and combined PSB and NFB treatments on C, N, P availability, and enzyme activities in sterilized soil, as well as the growth of Cyclocarya Paliurus seedlings grow in unsterilized soil. During a 60-day culture, prominent increases in soil inorganic N and available P contents were detected after bacteria additions. Three patterns were observed for different additions according to the dynamic bacterial growth. Synergistic effects between NFB and PSB were obvious, co-inoculations with NFB enhanced the accumulation of available P. However, decreases in soil available P and N were observed on the 60th day, which was induced by the decreases in bacterial quantities under C deficiency. Besides, co-inoculations with PSB and NFB resulted in greater performance in plant growth promotion. Aimed at amending soil with a C supply shortage, combined PSB and NFB treatments are more appropriate for practical fertilization at intervals of 30–45 days. The results demonstrate that co-inoculations could have synergistic interactions during culture and application, which may help with understanding the possible mechanism of soil amendment driven by microorganisms under C deficiency, thereby providing an alternative option for amending such soil.

scholarly journals Aspen and white spruce productivity is reduced by organic matter removal and soil compaction

2012 ◽  
Vol 88 (03) ◽  
pp. 306-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Kabzems
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Organic Matter Removal

Declines in forest productivity have been linked to losses of organic matter and soil porosity. To assess how removal of organic matter and soil compaction affect short-term ecosystem dynamics, pre-treatment and year 1, 5 and 10 post-treatment soil properties and post-treatment plant community responses were examined in a boreal trembling aspen (Populus tremuloidesMichx.)-dominated ecosystem in northeastern British Columbia. The experiment used a completely randomized design with three levels of organic matter removal (tree stems only; stems and slash; stems, slash and forest floor) and three levels of soil compaction (none, intermediate [2-cm impression], heavy [5-cm impression]). Removal of the forest floor initially stimulated aspen regeneration and significantly reduced height growth of aspen (198 cm compared to 472–480 cm) as well as white spruce (Picea glauca [Moench] Voss) height (82 cm compared to 154–156 cm). The compaction treatments had no effect on aspen regeneration density. At Year 10, heights of both aspen and white spruce were negatively correlated with upper mineral soil bulk density and were lowest on forest floor + whole tree removal treatments. Recovery of soil properties was occurring in the 0 cm to 2 cm layer of mineral soil. Bulk density values for the 0 cm to 10 cm depth remained above 86% of the maximum bulk density for the site, a soil condition where reduced tree growth can be expected.

The effect of wildfire on soil chemistry in four forest types in interior Alaska

1989 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 1389-1396 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. T. Dyrness ◽  
K. Van Cleve ◽  
J. D. Levison
Keyword(s):  
Forest Floor ◽  
Soil Chemistry ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Available P ◽  
Ph Effects ◽  
Quaking Aspen ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Surface Mineral

Soil chemical properties were studied after a wildfire in stands of white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss), black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P.), paper birch (Betulapapyrifera Marsh.), and quaking aspen (Populustremuloides Michx.). Samples of the forest floor and surface 5 cm of mineral soil were collected from burned sites and unburned controls and analyzed soon after the fire. With the exception of soil pH, effects of the fire on soil chemistry differed among the four forest types. Generally, amounts of exchangeable K, Ca, and Mg did not appreciably increase in the forest floor and surface mineral soil except in heavily burned areas in white spruce and black spruce. Fire reduced amounts of N by about 50% in white spruce, aspen, and birch forest floors. In black spruce, quantities of N were slightly higher in heavily burned locations. Forest floor C:N ratios were substantially lower in heavily burned locations in white spruce and black spruce than in unburned controls. Burning did not have a marked influence on supplies of available P in the forest floor, except in heavily burned black spruce, where average amounts were 12.50 g/m2 versus only 0.46 g/m2 in the control. Burning caused more moderate gains in available P in surface mineral soils under aspen and white spruce. We concluded that fire caused marked short-term changes in soil chemistry in the four forest types. How long these changes will persist is unknown.

Nutrient cycling in Huntington Forest and Turkey Lakes deciduous stands: nitrogen and sulfur

1992 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 457-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.J. Mitchell ◽  
N.W. Foster ◽  
J.P. Shepard ◽  
I.K. Morrison
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
C:N Ratio ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Adirondack Mountains ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Turkey Lakes Watershed

Biogeochemical cycling of S and N was quantified at two hardwood sites (Turkey Lakes watershed (TLW) and Huntington Forest (HF)) that have sugar maple (Acersaccharum Marsh.) as the major overstory component and are underlain by Spodosols (Podzols). TLW and HF are located in central Ontario (Canada) and the Adirondack Mountains of New York (U.S.A), respectively. Major differences between the TLW and HF sites included stand age (300 and 100 years for TLW and HF, respectively), age of dominant trees (150–300 and 100 years for TLW and HF, respectively), and the presence of American beech (Fagusgrandifolia Ehrh.) at HF as well as lower inputs of SO42− and NO3− (differences of 99 and 31 mol ion charge (molc)•ha−1•year−1, respectively) at TLW. There was an increase in concentration of SO42− and NO3− after passage through the canopy at both sites. A major difference in the anion chemistry of the soil solution between the sites was the much greater leaching of NO3− at TLW compared with HF (1300 versus 18 molc•ha−1•year−1, respectively). At HF, but not TLW, there was a marked increase in SO42− flux (217 molc•ha−1•year−1) when water leached from the forest floor through the mineral soil. The mineral soil was the largest pool (>80%) of N and S for both sites. The mineral soil of TLW had a C:N ratio of 16:1, which is much narrower than the 34:1 ratio at HF. This former ratio should favor accumulation of NH44+ and NO3− and subsequent NO3− leaching. Laboratory measurements suggest that the forest floor of TLW may have higher N mineralization rates than HF. Fluxes of N and S within the vegetation were generally similar at both sites, except that net requirement of N at TLW was substantially lower (difference of 9.4 kg N•ha−1•year−1). The higher NO3− leaching from TLW compared with HF may be attributed mostly to stand maturity coupled with tree mortality, but the absence of slow decomposing beech leaf litter and lower C:N ratio in the soil of the former site may also be contributing factors.

Biomass and nutrient content of Douglas-fir logs and other detrital pools in an old-growth forest, Oregon, U.S.A.

1992 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 1536-1546 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph E. Means ◽  
Paul C. MacMillan ◽  
Kermit Cromack Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Forest Floor ◽  
Soluble Fraction ◽  
Close Association ◽  
C:N Ratio ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
N Release

Logs, forest floor, and mineral soil were sampled and measured, and snags were measured, in a 450-year-old Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco) stand on the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, Oregon. Logs, some still identifiable after 300 years on the forest floor, contained large amounts of organic matter (222 Mg/ha), C (100 Mg/ha), water (559–10 700 L/log), N (183 kg/ha), and Ca (141 kg/ha), and smaller amounts of P (5.5 kg/ha), K (22 kg/ha), Mg (14 kg/ha), and Na (3.7 kg/ha). Logs and snags covered about 17% of the forest floor and had an all-sided area index of 0.69 m2/m2. Through mineralization, C, N, and K were lost through time; Ca and Mg increased; and P and Na increased then decreased, showing no net change. Also through mineralization, cellulose and hot acid detergent soluble fraction decreased more rapidly than lignin. Lignin was apparently not lost until the later stages of decay, when N was also lost in significant amounts. This parallels the shift from initial dominance by white rots that degraded cellulose and lignin to later dominance by brown rots that preferentially degraded cellulose. Lignin and cellulose were eventually lost at more similar rates in later decay stages. This may have been due in part to a close association between the remaining cellulose and lignin in later decay stages. Lignin was a better predictor of the onset of N release than was the C:N ratio.

scholarly journals Effect of long-term organic and mineral fertilisation on selected physico-chemical soil properties in rye monoculture and five-year crop rotation

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wojciech Stępień ◽  
Monika Kobiałka
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Crop Rotation ◽  
C:N Ratio ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Total Content ◽  
Base Cation ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Exchangeable Bases ◽  
Chemical Soil

Abstract The research was carried out continuously since 1923 in a permanent fertilisation experiment at the Experimental Station of SGGW in Skierniewice. The objective of the research was to determine the effect of long-term fertilisation (Ca, CaNPK, NPK) and crop rotation systems (rye monoculture without fertilisation with manure and five-field rotation with legume crop and manure fertilisation) on selected physical and chemical soil properties. Long-term fertilisation caused various degrees of change in many physio-chemical properties in three soil horizons (Ap, Eet, Bt): pH in KCl, cation exchange capacity, total exchangeable bases, base saturation, content of carbon, nitrogen and mineral forms of nitrogen (NO3, NH4) as well as the carbon-nitrogen ratio. The combined manure and mineral fertilisation increased the sorption capacity, total exchangeable bases, base cation saturation and total content of C and N in comparison to organic or mineral fertilisation. As a result of lime application, an increase in these parameters was determined with the exception of total contents of carbon and nitrogen, showing no differences or a decrease. A positive effect was confirmed in five-field crop rotation, which improves physicochemical soil properties in comparison to cereal monoculture. The C:N ratio narrows down with growing depth because more nitrogen than carbon migrates down the soil profile.

Initial quantitative characterization of soil nutrient regimes. I. Soil properties

1987 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. 1557-1564 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. D. Kabzems ◽  
K. Klinka
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Total N ◽  
Quantitative Classification ◽  
Topographic Features ◽  
Exchangeable Ca ◽  
Study Sites

Previous attempts to characterize soil nutrient regimes of forest ecosystems have been qualitative evaluations utilizing vegetation and (or) topographic features, morphological soil properties, and mineralogy of soil parent materials. The objective of this study was to describe and provide initial data for quantitative classification of soil nutrient regimes in some Douglas-fir ecosystems on southern Vancouver Island. A multivariate classification using forest floor plus mineral soil mineralizable N and exchangeable Mg quantities was proposed for the four nutrient regimes (poor, medium, rich, and very rich) recognized in this study. Significant differences in mineralizable and total N existed between the four identified soil nutrient regimes. The previous N fertilization of two study sites did not seem to change soil N status sufficiently to alter the classification. The differences in nutrient availability were more distinct when forest floor and mineral soil properties, expressed on an areal basis, were summed. There were no significant differences in exchangeable Ca and Mg for the poor and medium soil nutrient regimes. The humus form of the forest floor was an important characteristic for identifying soil nutrient regimes in the field; however, the nutrient quantities of the forest floor reflected differences in bulk density and depth and did not effectively distinguish between regimes.

Effects of broadcast slash burning on fuels and soil chemical properties in the Sub-boreal Spruce Zone of central British Columbia

1987 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. 1577-1584 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Macadam
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Available P ◽  
Soil Layers ◽  
Exchangeable Ca ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Slash Burning

Soil samples were taken before and 9 and 21 months after the operational broadcast burning of logging slash in two clear-cuts in the Sub-boreal Spruce Zone of central British Columbia. Average slash consumption on the two clear-cuts was estimated from line intersect samples at 20 and 24 t/ha and forest floor depth was reduced by 28 and 36%. Nine months after burning, soil N had decreased by 376 kg/ha (18% of preburn levels) while available P had increased by 37–157 kg/ha. Burning resulted in substantial increases in forest floor base saturation, pH, exchangeable Ca and Mg, and available P. Changes within the 0–15 and 15–30 cm mineral soil layers were variable and in general less pronounced. Significant positive correlations were observed between the consumption of large fuels and postburn changes in forest floor pH and exchangeable Ca and Mg. Changes in forest floor N were negatively correlated with amounts of fine slash consumed. A strongly negative correlation was observed between forest floor depth of burn and changes in forest floor exchangeable K concentrations.

Nitrogen dynamics in conifer-dominated forests with and without hardwoods

1987 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 1434-1441 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. Perry ◽  
C. Choquette ◽  
P. Schroeder
Keyword(s):  
N Mineralization ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
C:N Ratio ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Soil N ◽  
Mixed Stands ◽  
Soil P ◽  
Soil N Mineralization ◽  
Leaf Litterfall ◽  
Uniform Area

Nitrogen and carbon in the surface 12 cm of mineral soil, N in leaf litterfall, anaerobic N mineralization rates in the soil and forest floor, and root and N accretion to sand traps placed in surface soil layers were compared in forests with hardwoods either completely or partially removed during a conifer thinning 3 years before. An adjacent unthinned conifer–hardwood stand was also included. Conifer stocking did not differ between thinned stands with and without hardwoods. Stands without hardwoods averaged 520 kg/ha more N in mineral soil (p < 0.001), 20% more N mineralized from soil during 7-day incubations (p < 0.001), and lower soil C:N ratio (p = 0.02) than stands with hardwoods. These variables did not differ between thinned and unthinned mixed stands. Soil N did not correlate with the number of hardwoods removed. Weight of forest floor and rate of N mineralization from the forest floor did not differ between mixed and pure stands. However, stands with hardwoods returned about 10 kg•ha−1•year−1 more N in leaf litter (due to higher N concentration in conifer litter as well as the presence of high-N hardwood litter); stands without hardwoods accreted about 10 kg•ha−1•year−1 more N in sand traps. Soil N mineralization in mixed stands correlated positively with N mineralization in the forest floor but not with N accretion to sand traps, while the opposite was true in pure conifer stands. Although pretreatment variability among stands cannot be ruled out, the replicated treatments within a relatively uniform area make it appear likely that differences were related to the presence or absence of hardwoods. This was not a simple additive effect, however, but a community-level phenomenon, that is, conifers cycled N differently when mixed with hardwoods than when in pure stands.

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