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Soil soluble organic carbon and nitrogen pools under mono- and mixed species forest ecosystems in subtropical China

  • SOILS, SEC 2 • GLOBAL CHANGE, ENVIRON RISK ASSESS, SUSTAINABLE LAND USE • RESEARCH ARTICLE
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Abstract

Purpose

The objective of the present study was to assess the differences in soil total C and N, microbial biomass C and N, soil soluble organic C and N among eight mono- and mixed species forest ecosystems (18-year-old restoration) in subtropical China.

Materials and methods

Soil samples were taken at the 0–10 and 10–20-cm depths from each of the eight forest ecosystems: Masson pine (CP1); Pitch pine (CP2); mixed Slash pine and Sweetgum (CBMP1); mixed Slash pine and Camphortree (CBMP2); mixed Masson pine, Sweetgum, and Chinese Gugertree (CBMP3); mixed Sweetgum and Chinese Gugertree (BMP); Chinese Gugertree (BP1); and Sweetgum (BP2). Soil soluble organic C and N pools were measured using hot water and KCl extraction methods. Microbial biomass C (MBC) and N (MBN) were measured by fumigation-extraction method. Soil total C and N were determined using an isotope ratio mass spectrometer.

Results and discussion

Concentrations of soil soluble organic N (SON) extracted by KCl solution (35.1–116.9 and 11.2–78.2 mg kg–1) were greater than those by hot water (20.7–72.8 and 8.4–30.6 mg kg–1) in the 0–10 and 10–20-cm soils, while concentrations of soluble organic C (SOC) extracted by KCl solution were lower than those extracted by hot water in the 0–10 cm. Soil soluble C and N pools extracted by both hot water and KCl solution and the MBC and MBN were greatest under the broadleaf forest ecosystems, followed by the mixed conifer–broadleaf forest ecosystems, and then the conifer forest ecosystems.

Conclusions

Different restored forest ecosystems had significant impacts on soil SOC and SON, and MBC and MBN. The broadleaf forest ecosystems could be a better choice for the restoration of red soil chemical and biological prosperities than the conifer–broadleaf forest ecosystem and coniferous forest ecosystems. A further study is necessary to sample over seasons in order to understand whether the significant impacts on soil properties are related to the sample time. In addition, soil microbial community composition and microbial activity should be measured in such studies to understand mechanisms involved in the dynamics of soil SOC and SON pools.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the funding support from the Australian Research Council’s Discovery Projects funding scheme (project number DP0666912) and the joint support funding from National Natural Science Foundation of China (30960312). We would like to thank Dr. Mingquan Yu, Dr. Junxia Zhang, Xiaolei Qin, Jing Ouyang, Yingying Wang, Fang Wang, Yue Fu, Fang Wan, and Jianwen Gu for their assistance in the soil sampling and processing. We also thank Dr. Lili Wei, Ms. Fangfang Sun, and Mr. Xien Long for their assistance in the experimental data analysis, Mr. Rene Diocares for technical assistance, and Ms. Marijke Heenan for the experimental preparation help.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Landscape and Art (College of Forestry), Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330000, China

    Yumei M. Jiang & Yuanqiu Q. Liu

  2. College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, 330000, China

    Yumei M. Jiang

  3. Environmental Futures Centre and School of Biomolecular and Physical Sciences, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD, 4111, Australia

    Yumei M. Jiang, Chengrong R. Chen & Zhihong H. Xu

Authors
  1. Yumei M. Jiang
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  2. Chengrong R. Chen
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  3. Yuanqiu Q. Liu
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  4. Zhihong H. Xu
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Correspondence to Yuanqiu Q. Liu or Zhihong H. Xu.

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Responsible editor: Hailong Wang

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Jiang, Y.M., Chen, C.R., Liu, Y.Q. et al. Soil soluble organic carbon and nitrogen pools under mono- and mixed species forest ecosystems in subtropical China. J Soils Sediments 10, 1071–1081 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-010-0191-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-010-0191-9

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