scholarly journals Response of plant diversity and soil physicochemical properties to different gap sizes in a Pinus massoniana plantation

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e12222
Author(s):  
Qian Lyu ◽  
Jiangli Liu ◽  
Junjie Liu ◽  
Yan Luo ◽  
Luman Chen ◽  
...  

As one means of close-to-nature management, forest gaps have an important impact on the ecological service function of plantations. To improve the current situation of P. massoniana plantations, three different sizes of forest gaps (large gaps, medium gaps and small gaps) were established to observe whether gap setting can improve the soil fertility and plant diversity of forest plantations. The results showed that compared with the control, the soil organic matter content of different soil layers increased significantly in the medium forest gap and large forest gap. The content of soil organic matter in the surface layer of the middle gap had the largest increase (80.64%). Compared with the control, the content of soil-available potassium between different soil layers decreased significantly by 15.93% to 25.80%. The soil hydrolysable nitrogen reached its maximum under the medium gap. Soil moisture showed significant changes among different gap treatments, different soil layers and their interaction, decreasing significantly in large gaps and small gaps but increasing significantly in medium gaps. The soil bulk density decreased significantly compared with the control, and the surface soil reached the minimum in the medium gap. There were different plant species in forest gaps of different sizes, and shrub layer plants were more sensitive to gap size differences than herb layer plants. The plant diversity indices of the shrub layer increased significantly and showed a maximum under the medium gap. The plant diversity of the herb layer showed the opposite trend, and the Shannon-Wiener index, Simpson index and Pielou index were significantly lower than those of the control. RDA showed that different gap treatments had significant effects on the distribution of plants under the forest. Soil available potassium, soil moisture and soil bulk density affected the distribution and diversity of plants under the forest, serving as the limiting factors of plant growth. In forest management, if we strictly consider the improvement of plant diversity and soil physicochemical properties, these results suggest that a medium gap should be established in a plantation for natural restoration.

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junda Zhang ◽  
Suyan Li ◽  
Xiangyang Sun ◽  
Jing Tong ◽  
Zhen Fu ◽  
...  

Soil bacterial communities play a key role in nutrient cycling and ecosystem functioning. This study aims to reveal how green space type impacts soil quality and the bacterial community, which finally contributes to suggesting strategies for managing sustainable environments in urban areas. For this purpose, urban green space soils in this study are divided into four different types; park green space (PARK), street green space (STREET), attached green space (ATTACH) and residential green space (RESID). Results showed that significant differences were observed for soil physicochemical properties. Soil organic matter, total nitrogen, soil moisture content and available nitrogen in the ATTACH and PARK soils were significantly higher than in the STREET and RESID soils. Across the four green space types, the structure of bacterial communities was dominated by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi at the phylum level. The diversity and richness of bacteria were significantly higher in the PARK and ATTACH soils than in the RESID and STREET soils. Results of principal component analysis (PCoA) showed that soil bacterial communities could be clustered into four different groups according to different green space types. In addition, analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) also implied that soil samples differed significantly from others. Redundancy analysis (RDA) and Spearman correlation analysis both showed that the contents of soil organic matter, total nitrogen, soil moisture and pH had great influence on the structures of bacterial communities. In summary, these results suggest that soil physicochemical properties and bacterial communities can be strongly affected by green space types, and thus, objective assessment of a particular measure can be provided to land managers and policy makers for informed decision-making in urban development and sustainability.


Geoderma ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 385 ◽  
pp. 114863
Author(s):  
Perry Taneja ◽  
Hitesh Kumar Vasava ◽  
Prasad Daggupati ◽  
Asim Biswas

Proceedings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 26
Author(s):  
Marqués ◽  
Bienes ◽  
Ruiz-Colmenero

The wine captures grapes’ variety nature and vinification techniques, but other aspects of soil, climate and terrain are equally important for the terroir expression as a whole. Soil supplies moisture, nitrogen, and minerals. Particularly nitrogen obtained through mineralization of soil organic matter and water uptake are crucial for grape yield, berry sugar, anthocyanin and tannin concentration, hence grape quality and vineyard profitability. Different climatic conditions, which are predicted for the future, can significantly modify this relationship between vines and soils. New climatic conditions under global warming predict higher temperatures, erratic and extreme rainfall events, and drought spells. These circumstances are particularly worrisome for typical thin soils of the Mediterranean environment. This study reports the effect of permanent grass cover in vineyards to maintain or increase soil organic matter and soil moisture. The influence of natural and simulated rainfalls on soils was studied. A comparison between minimum tillage (MT) and permanent grass cover crop (GC) of the temperate grass Brachypodium distachyon was done. Water infiltration, water holding capacity, organic carbon sequestration and protection from extreme events, were considered in a sloping vineyard located in the south of Madrid, Spain. The MT is the most widely used cultivation method in the area. The tradition supports this management practice to capture and preserve water in soils. It creates small depressions that accumulate water and eventually improves water infiltration. This effect was acknowledged in summer after recent MT cultivation; however, it was only short-lived as surface roughness declined after rainfalls. Especially, intense rainfall events left the surface of bare soil sealed. Consequently, the effects depend on the season of the year. In autumn, a rainy season of the year, MT failed to enhance infiltration. On the contrary, B. distachyon acted as a physical barrier, produced more infiltration (22% increase) and fewer particles detachment, due to increased soil structure stability and soil organic matter (50% increase). The GC efficiently protected soil from high-intensity events (more than 2 mm min-1). Besides, soil moisture at 35 cm depth was enhanced with GC (9% more than tillage). On average, soil moisture in GC was not significantly different from MT. These effects of GC on soil conditions created local micro-environmental conditions that can be considered advantageous as a climate change adaptation strategy, because they improved water balance, maintained a sustainable level of soil organic matter, therefore organic nitrogen, all these factors crucial for improving wine quality.


1996 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 352-352
Author(s):  
Stanley R. Swier

Abstract The trial was conducted 10 May on a golf course rough, Amherst, NH. Plots were 10 X 10 ft, replicated 4 times, in a RCB design. Merit WP was applied in 4 gal water/1000 ft2 with a watering, can. Merit G granules were applied with a homemade salt shaker. Treatments were irrigated with 0.5 inch water after application. Plots were rated 30 Sep by counting the number of live grubs per 1 ft2. Conditions at the time of treatment were: air temperature 70°F; wind, 3 MPH; sky, clear; soil temperature, 1 inch, 60°F; thatch depth, 0.5 inch soil pH, 5.4; slope 0%; soil texture, silt loam, 47% sand, 50% silt, 3% clay; soil organic matter, 6.9%; soil moisture, 21.8%.


1996 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 343-344
Author(s):  
Stanley R. Swier

Abstract A large plot efficacy trial was conducted at Rutland Country Club, Rutland, VT on a golf course fairway. Plot size was 14 X 75 ft., arrayed in an RCB design, replicated 4 times. Treatments were applied 8 June at 0800 with an FMC hydraulic sprayer using 8004 nozzles delivering 3.6 gal. water/1000 ft2. Within 30 minutes of application, 0.2 inch irrigation water was applied to the plots. Plots were 60% annual bluegrass and 40% bentgrass. Larvae were predominantly third instar. Plots were rated at 7 and 14 DAT. Five cup cutter plugs were then taken per plot and analyzed in the lab. The number of live larvae were recorded. Conditions at the time of treatment were: air temperature 64.4°F; wind, 2 MPH; sky, clear; soil temperature, 1 inch –66°F; thatch depth, 0.25 inch soil pH, 5.2; slope, 3%; soil texture, loam: 48% sand, 42% silt, 10% clay; soil organic matter, 7.5%; soil moisture, 21.3%; post-treatment precipitation, 0.2 inch every other day.


1999 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 501-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. J. Zebarth ◽  
G. H. Neilsen ◽  
E. Hogue ◽  
D. Neilsen

Sandy, infertile soils can benefit from the addition of organic waste amendments. Annual applications of organic wastes for as long as 4 yr increased soil organic matter content, decreased soil bulk density, and increased soil water retention of a coarse-textured soil. However, soil water-holding capacity was not necessarily increased, and there was a limited effect on soil cation exchange capacity. Key words: Cation exchange capacity, water retention, soil pH, soil organic matter, soil bulk density


1979 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 763-768 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. MOYER

The effect of soil organic matter (OM), clay content, temperature, and soil moisture on dose levels of trifluralin (α,α,α-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-p-toluidine) required for 90% control of wild oats (Avena fatua L.) was assessed in growth chamber experiments. In the first experiment, where soil moisture was constant, variation in soil OM accounted for 94% of the variability in trifluralin dose rates required for 90% reduction in fresh weight of wild oats (GR90) whereas clay content and temperature had no significant effect. In a second experiment, where temperature was constant, required dose rates were slightly higher at low and high moisture levels than at intermediate levels. Variation in OM explained 80% of the variability in GR90 while the inclusion of moisture and (moisture)2 terms in the multiple regression analysis explained an additional 7% of the variability. The results indicate that trifluralin efficacy was primarily related to OM content and that current recommendations for trifluralin could be improved if based on this parameter. An even more accurate trifluralin dose could be predicted from OM content and soil moisture content but the improvement in efficacy would be slight. Soil OM content determined the amount of trifluralin, dinitramine (N4,N4-diethyl-α,α,α-trifluoro-3,5-dinitrotoluene-2,4-diamine), and fluchloralin [N(2-chloroethyl)-2,6-dinitro-N-propyl-4-(trifluoromethyl)-aniline] adsorbed to soil. This suggests that dose recommendations and efficacy of dinitramine and fluchloralin could be predicted from OM content.


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