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Decomposition of Coniferous Litterfall in Soils Forming under Artificial Pine Stands in Eastern Fennoscandia

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Contemporary Problems of Ecology Aims and scope

Abstract

Field studies have been conducted in eastern Fennoscandia, where soils are represented by illuvial–ferruginous sandy podzols. This paper examines the decomposition of fallen pine needles in soils at various artificial reforestation stages (a fresh felling site and 7-, 15-, and 40-year-old pine stands). A 170-year-old lingonberry pine forest located in a protected area was selected as the control variant. A model field experiment was conducted to examine the efficiency of pine litterfall decomposition and changes in concentrations of chemical elements and biochemical parameters in the course of its mineralization in the soil. The ecological and trophic structure of the soil microbial community was assessed in each of the studied ecosystems. It is established that the organic matter transformation process undergoes the maximum changes in soils at early reforestation stages. In soils formed under artificial pine stands older than 15 years, the intensity of mineralization processes and the content of hardly hydrolyzable compounds decrease; after 40 years, these parameters take on values typical for soils of undisturbed forest communities. Concentrations of chemical elements in pine litterfall incubated in soil change over time. The data that is obtained can be used in environmental monitoring.

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Funding

These data were collected as part of the State Task of the Karelian Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research, Karelian Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 185910, Petrozavodsk, Republic of Karelia, Russia

    O. N. Bakhmet

  2. Forest Research Institute, Karelian Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 185910, Petrozavodsk, Republic of Karelia, Russia

    M. V. Medvedeva

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  1. O. N. Bakhmet
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Correspondence to O. N. Bakhmet.

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Translated by L. Emeliyanov

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Bakhmet, O.N., Medvedeva, M.V. Decomposition of Coniferous Litterfall in Soils Forming under Artificial Pine Stands in Eastern Fennoscandia. Contemp. Probl. Ecol. 15, 741–749 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1995425522070034

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