ABSTRACT
In order to elucidate the effects of intensive management on soil carbon pool, nitrogen pool, enzyme activities in Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) plantations, we collected soil samples from the soil surface (0-20 cm) and subsurface (20-40 cm) layers in the adjacent Moso bamboo plantations with extensive and intensive managements in Sankou Township, Lin'an City, Zhejiang Province. We determined different forms of C, N and soil invertase, urease, catalase and acid phosphatase activities. The results showed that long-term intensive management of Moso bamboo plantations significantly decreased the content and storage of soil organic carbon (SOC), with the SOC storage in the soil surface and subsurface layers decreased by 13.2% and 18.0%, respectively. After 15 years' intensive management of Masoo bamboo plantations, the contents of soil water soluble carbon (WSOC), hot water soluble carbon (HWSOC), microbial carbon (MBC) and readily oxidizable carbon (ROC) were significantly decreased in the soil surface and subsurface layers. The soil N storage in the soil surface and subsurface layers in intensively managed Moso bamboo plantations increased by 50.8% and 36.6%, respectively. Intensive management significantly increased the contents of nitrate-N (NO3--N) and ammonium-N (NH4+-N), but decreased the contents of water-soluble nitrogen (WSON) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN). After 15 years' intensive management of Masoo bamboo plantations, the soil invertase, urease, catalase and acid phosphatase activities in the soil surface layer were significantly decreased, the soil acid phosphatase activity in the soil subsurface layer were significantly decreased, and other enzyme activities in the soil subsurface layer did not change. In conclusion, long-term intensive management led to a significant decline of soil organic carbon storage, soil labile carbon and microbial activity in Moso bamboo plantations. Therefore, we should consider the use of organic fertilizer in the intensive mana-gement process for the sustainable management of Moso bamboo plantations in the future.
Subject(s)
Carbon/chemistry , Nitrogen/chemistry , Poaceae/growth & development , Soil/chemistry , Acid Phosphatase/metabolism , Biomass , Catalase/metabolism , China , Urease/metabolismABSTRACT
Converting natural forests to plantations significantly affects the characteristics of soil organic carbon (C) pools, due to the changes of vegetation cover and management practices. In this paper, to investigate the effects of conversion from evergreen broad-leaved forest (EBF) to Chinese chestnut plantation (CP) on soil organic C pool, the soils from surface (0-20 cm) and subsurface (20-40 cm) layers were sampled from the above two forests (the CP was converted from the EBF and had been intensively managed for 10 years) in Lin'an City, Zhejiang Province. The soil orga-nic C storage, labile organic C pools, and other basic soil properties were determined. The chemical composition of soil organic C was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique. Results showed that the soil organic C storage, water soluble organic C (WSOC), hot water soluble organic C (HWSOC), microbial biomass C (MBC) and readily oxidizable C (ROC) concentrations in the surface layer decreased by 19.7%, 34.4%, 25.8%, 30.4% and 25.2%, respectively, after the conversion from EBF to CP. Such values for the subsurface layers decreased by 13.5%, 38.4%, 19.8%, 34.1% and 22.2%, respectively. The O-alkyl C content, aromatic C content and aromaticity of soil organic C in the surface layer decreased signi-ficantly by the land-use conversion, while alkyl C content, carbonyl C content and alkyl C to O-alkyl C (A/O-A) ratio increased signi-ficantly. The O-alkyl C content of soil organic C in the subsurface layer decreased significantly by the land-use conversion, alkyl C content and A/O-A ratio increased significantly, and aromatic C content, carbonyl C content and aromaticity of soil organic C were not changed. In conclusion, conve-rting EBF to CP and subsequent intensive management significantly decreased the soil organic C sto-rage and labile C pool contents and altered the chemical composition of soil organic C.
