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Soil characteristics influence species composition and forest structure differentially among tree size classes in a Bornean heath forest

Plant and Soil volume 438, pages 173–185 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Background and aims

Whilst several studies have shown that edaphic variability influences species composition in nutrient-poor tropical forests, the determinants of local species distributions and, in particular, how these change from younger to mature individuals in such forests are still under debate, and have been poorly explored in tropical heath forests that are among the least fertile tropical forest ecosystems.

Methods

We investigated the influence of soil fertility and topography on a Bornean heath forest species composition, α-, β-diversity and tree size structure among size classes by recording all trees ≥1 cm DBH in 16 forest plots totalling 0.36 ha.

Results

Tree species distributions generally followed gradients in available Al and soil depth; α- and β-diversity were linked to soil depth, and to some extent also to pH and the H:Al ratio. In contrast, forest structural attributes (basal area and stem density) were negatively correlated with both available and total P and a wider suite of soil nutrients, although trees ≥10 cm DBH were positively correlated with total P.

Conclusion

Our study shows that heath forest species distribution, richness and structure is related to both edaphic and topographic characteristics and that soil acidity might have a strong influence in shaping these forests’ features. Among size classes, small trees are less influenced by soil and topography, whereas the sensitivity to these variables increases with tree size. We thus highlight that multiple edaphic factors influence different aspects of tropical forest structure, including different tree life stages, and species composition.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by Manchester Metropolitan University’s Environmental Science Research Centre. We would like to thank the Sabah Biodiversity Council, the Soil Chemistry section, Ecology section and Herbarium staff from Sabah Forest Research Centre and in particular the research assistants Juanis Runcin, Jemson Jumian, Postar Miun, Spincer Sitim, Lioba Sawadon and Yun Len Lee. We are indebted to David McKendry and Graham Tinsley for the assistance in the laboratory, Yannis Kougoulous for preparing the map and Liam Trethowan, Matteo Giacomazzo and anonymous reviewers for the valuable suggestions and discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester, M1 5GD, UK

    Giacomo Sellan & Francis Q. Brearley

  2. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland, EH26 0QB, UK

    Jill Thompson

  3. Soil Chemistry Department, Forest Research Centre, PO Box 1407, 90715, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia

    Noreen Majalap

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  1. Giacomo Sellan
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Sellan, G., Thompson, J., Majalap, N. et al. Soil characteristics influence species composition and forest structure differentially among tree size classes in a Bornean heath forest. Plant Soil 438, 173–185 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-019-04000-5

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Keywords

  • Al toxicity
  • Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve
  • Kerangas
  • Nutrient limitation
  • Species diversity
  • Spodosol
  • White sand forest