Abstract
Effect of acidic stemflow input on soil biological properties around cedar tree trunk were examined in a 34 year old Japanese red cedar plantation forest. Average soil pH of soil around cedar trunk (stemflow soil) was 3.88 and that of soil between trees (throughfall soil) was 4.97, and this suggested soil acidification due to proton load via stemflow. Soil microarthropod density in soil was higher as close to tree trunk, whereas microbial biomass of surface soil was reduced ca. 30 % around trunk. Abundance of Collembola and Gamasid mites showed positive correlation to amount of soil organic matter, while Oribatida had strong negative correlation to soil pH.Tectocepheus velatus (Oribatida) was dominant in soils pH under 4.0. Annual decomposition rate of cedar foliage was reduced ca. 16% in stemflow soil compared to throughfall soil. More litter accumulation was observed in stemflow soil, but it was not significant, though low microbial activity and retarded litter decomposition may be responsible to the accumulation of organic matter in stemflow soil. Soil biological community and soil process have been changed due to stemflow, the affected area corresponded to ca. 9.4 % of the forest. Thus, ecological risk of acidification in the sense of decrease in decomposition rate is 1.4%.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature cited
Fujikawa, T. (1988) Biology ofTectocepheus velatus (Michael) andT.cuspidentatus Knülle. Acarologia 29: 307–315.
Fujikawa, T. (1995) Comparison among populations ofTectocepheus velatus (Michael, 1880) from forests, grasslands and crop field. Edaphologia 55: 1–82.
Hagvår, S. (1990) Reactions to soil acidification in microarthropods: Is competition a key factor? Biol. Fertil. Soils. 9: 178–181.
Hagvår, S. (1994) Soil biology: Soil animals and soil acidity.In Long term experiments with acid rain in Norwegian forest ecosystems. Abrahamsen, G., Stuanse, A., and Tveite, B. (eds.), 342pp, Springer-Verlag, New York, 122–135.
Hagvår, S. and Amundsen, T. (1981) Effects of liming and artificial acid rain on the mite (Acari) fauna in coniferous forest. Oikos 37: 7–20.
Hagvår, S.A. and Abrahamsen, G. (1990) Microarthropoda and Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta) in naturally lead-contaminated soil: A gradient study. Environ. Entomol. 19: 1263–1277.
Joergensen, R.G. (1996) The fumigation-extraction method to estimate soil microbial biomass:calibration of thek EC value. Soil Biol. Biochem. 28: 25–31.
Johnson, D.W. and Lindberg, S.E. (eds.) (1992) Atmospheric deposition and forest nutrient cycling: a synthesis of the integrated forest study. 707pp, Springer-Verlag, New York.
Kaneko, N. (1985) A comparison of oribatid mite communities in two different soil types in a cool temperate forest in Japan. Pedobiologia 28: 255–264.
Kaneko, N., Hara, Y., Kitami, N., and Kofuji, R. (1998a) An effect of sugi (Japanese red cedar) stemflow acidification on sugi seedling growth and soil organisms. San-in Chiiki Kenkyu 14: 1–7. (in Japanese with English summary)
Kaneko, N., Katagiri, S., Yamashita, H., Kitaoka, N., and Tominaga, A. (1998b) A long-term observation of litterfall of Japanese Red Cedar in Sanbe Experimental Forest of Shimane University. Bull. Fac. of Life Environ. Sci., Shimane Univ. 2: 7–13. (in Japanese with English summary)
Matsuura, Y., Hotta, Y., and Araki, M. (1990) Surface soil pH depression ofCryptomeria japonica forests in Kanto district. Jpn. J. For. Environ. 32: 65–69. (in Japanese with Einglish summary)
Myrold, D.D. (1990) Effect of acidic deposition on soil organisms.In Mechanisms of forest response to acidic deposition. Lucir A.A. and Haines S.G. (eds.), 245pp, Springer-Verlag, New York, Tokyo, 163–187.
Petersen, H. and Luxton, M. (1982) A comparative analysis of soil fauna populations and their role in decomposition processes. Oikos 39: 287–388
Sassa, T., Gotoo, K., Hasegawa, K., and Ikeda, S. (1990) Acidity and nutrient elements of the rain fall, throughfall and stem flow in the typical forests around Morioka City, Iwate Pref., Japan. Jpn. J. For. Environ. 32: 43–58. (in Japanese with Einglish summary)
Satake, K., Nakakaya, K., and Takamastsu, T. (1996) pH distribution in radical section of the stem and root ofCryptomeria japonica. Can. J. For. Res. 26: 503–507.
Sato, K. and Tahakashi, A. (1996) Hydrogen ion leaching from the stem of a Japanese cedar tree and acidification of soils around the stem. Environ. Sci. 9: 221–230. (in Japanese with Einglish summary)
Schaefer, M. and Schaurmann, J. (1990) The soil fauna of beech forests: Comparison between a mull and moder soil. Pedobiologia 34: 299–314.
Scheu, S. and Poser, G. (1996) The soil microfauna (Diplopoda, Isopoda, Lumbricidae and Chilopoda) near tree trunks in a beechwood on limestone: indications for stemflow induced changes in community structure. Appl. Soil Ecol. 3: 115–125.
Seastedt, T. R. (1984) The role of microarthropods in decomposition and mineralisation processes. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 29: 25–46.
Stockli, H. (1991) Influence of stemflow upon the decomposing system in two beech stands. Rev. Ecol. Biol. Soil 28: 265–286.
Swift, M.J., Heal, O.W., and Anderson, J.M. (1979) Decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. 372pp, Blackwell, Oxford.
Vance, E.D. (1987) An extraction method for measuring soil microbial biomass C. Soil Biol. Biochem. 19: 703–707.
Visser, S. (1985) Role of the soil invertebrates in determining the composition of soil microbial communities.In Ecological interactions in soil: Plants, microbes and animals. Fitter, A.H., Atkinson, D., Read, D.J., and Usher, M.B. (eds.), 451pp, Blackwell, Oxford, 297–317.
Visser, S. and Parkinson, D. (1989) Microbial respiration and biomass in soil of a lodgepole pine stand acidified with elemental sulphur. Can. J. For. Res. 19: 955–961.
Wolters, V. and Schaefer, M. (1994) Effects of acid deposition on soil organisms and decomposition processes.In Effect of acid rain on forest processes. Godbold, D.L. and Hotermann, A. (eds.), 429pp, Willey-Liss, New York, 83–127.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This study was partly supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)(1), No.08506001 by The Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, and Culture, Japan, and by the research project “Establishment of a scientific framework for the management of toxicity of chemicals based on environmental risk-benefit analysis” supported by Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST).
About this article
Cite this article
Kaneko, N., Kofuji, Ri. Effects of soil pH gradient caused by stemflow acidification on soil microarthropod community structure in a Japanese red cedar plantation: An evaluation of ecological risk on decomposition. J For Res 5, 157–162 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02762395
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02762395