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Variation of soil enzyme activity and microbial biomass in poplar plantations of different genotypes and stem spacings

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Abstract

To improve the productivity of poplar plantations, a field experiment of split-plot design with four tree spacings and three poplar clones was established, and four soil enzyme activities and microbial biomass were monitored in the trial. Soil enzyme activities, in most cases, were significantly higher in topsoil (0–10 cm) than in lower horizons (10–20 cm). Soil cellulase, catalase and protease activities during the growing season were higher than during the non-growing season, while invertase activity followed the opposite trend. Soil invertase, cellulase and catalase activities varied by poplar clone but soil protease activity did not. Cellulase and protease activities in the plantation at 5 × 5 m spacing were significantly higher than in the other spacings. The highest catalase activity was recorded at 6 × 6 m spacing. At the same planting density, invertase activity was greater in square spacings than in rectangular spacings. Soil microbial biomass was also significantly affected by seedling spacing and poplar clone. The mean soil MBC was significantly lower in topsoil than in the lower horizon, while MBN showed the opposite pattern. Significantly positive correlations were observed among soil cellulase, protease and catalase activities (p < 0.01), whereas soil invertase activity was negatively and significantly correlated with cellulase, protease and catalase activities (p < 0.01). Soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities were not correlated except for a significantly negative correlation between soil MBC and catalase activities. Variations in soil enzyme activity and microbial biomass in different poplar plantations suggest that genotype and planting spacing should be considered when modeling soil nutrient dynamics and managing for long-term site productivity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, People’s Republic of China

    Ye Li, Liping Zhang, Shengzuo Fang, Ye Tian & Jiao Guo

  2. Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, People’s Republic of China

    Shengzuo Fang & Ye Tian

Authors
  1. Ye Li
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  2. Liping Zhang
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  3. Shengzuo Fang
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  4. Ye Tian
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  5. Jiao Guo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shengzuo Fang.

Additional information

Project funding: This work was funded by the National Key Technology R&D Program (2015BAD09B0203) and the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program, 2012CB416904), as well as by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD).

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Corresponding editor: Chai Ruihai.

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Li, Y., Zhang, L., Fang, S. et al. Variation of soil enzyme activity and microbial biomass in poplar plantations of different genotypes and stem spacings. J. For. Res. 29, 963–972 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-017-0524-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-017-0524-2

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