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25 pages, 7469 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seasonal Variation and Soil Texture-Related Thinning Effects on Soil Microbial and Enzymatic Properties in a Semi-Arid Pine Forest

by Cristina Lull, Ricardo Gil-Ortiz, Inmaculada Bautista and Antonio Lidón

Forests 2023, 14(8), 1674; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14081674 - 18 Aug 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1241

Abstract

Thinning is a practice that reduces competition for available soil resources, thereby promoting vegetation growth and affecting soil, which is involved in important ecosystem processes. Soil quality is directly influenced by various aspects such as ground cover, regional climate, and local microclimate, which [...] Read more.

Thinning is a practice that reduces competition for available soil resources, thereby promoting vegetation growth and affecting soil, which is involved in important ecosystem processes. Soil quality is directly influenced by various aspects such as ground cover, regional climate, and local microclimate, which can further be modified by forest thinning. In this study, the effect of tree thinning and climate on microbiological and enzymatic soil properties was investigated in an Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis M.) forest more than a decade after silvicultural treatments. The treatments included were clear-felling (100% of mean basal area (BA) removed), moderate thinning (60% BA removed), and control (no thinning). Soil organic carbon (SOC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), basal soil respiration (BSR), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), soil enzymes (β-glucosidase, acid phosphatase, urease, and dehydrogenase), general soil characteristics, soil temperature and humidity, and precipitation were compared seasonally for over two years by analysis of variance and multivariate analysis. Results showed that the effect of 60% thinning improved soil microbial and enzymatic soil properties with variable results, mainly depending on soil organic matter content and soil texture. SOC, WSOC, and MBC were highly correlated with BSR and enzymatic activities. The main reason for the observed differences was water availability, despite a large seasonal variation. In conclusion, microbial activity was strongly affected by soil characteristics and climate, which in turn were influenced by the silvicultural treatments applied. Moderate thinning can be used as a useful practice to improve soil quality in the Mediterranean area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Management Impacts on Soil Biological, Chemical and Physical Properties)

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14 pages, 7604 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Early Effect of Plant Density on Soil Physicochemical Attributes and Bacterial and Understory Plant Diversity in Phoebe zhennan Plantations

by Yilun Cheng, Jian Peng, Yunjie Gu, Hongying Guo, Tianyi Jiang and Hanbo Yang

Forests 2023, 14(8), 1612; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14081612 - 10 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 797

Abstract

The effect of stand density on the soil bacterial community and diversity remains unclear. Spectrophotometry and full-length 16S rRNA sequences were used to determine the effects of planting density on soil physicochemical attributes and the diversity of soil bacterial and understory vegetation in [...] Read more.

The effect of stand density on the soil bacterial community and diversity remains unclear. Spectrophotometry and full-length 16S rRNA sequences were used to determine the effects of planting density on soil physicochemical attributes and the diversity of soil bacterial and understory vegetation in a young Phoebe zhennan plantation at five densities. The findings showed that stand density had significant effects on the total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen (

{NH}_{4}^{+} - N

), nitrate-nitrogen (

{NO}_{3}^{-} - N

), organic carbon, and the dominance and evenness of shrubs. Candidatus Udaeobacter and Candidatus Soilbacter were the two most common genera across the five stand densities. The density D5 (850 stems/hm²) demarcated from the others with a lower diversity of soil bacteria. Overall, the relatively low- and middle-density plantations were more conducive to complex and stable understory vegetation, bacterial communities, and soil nutrient cycles. The functional categories of the bacterial communities revealed a high proportion associated with chemoheterotrophy, aerobic chemoheterotrophy, and nitrogen fixation. Bacterial diversity and function were significantly influenced by soil pH,

{NH}_{4}^{+} - N

,

{NO}_{3}^{-} - N

, total phosphorus, and available phosphorus. However, there were no significant correlations between soil physicochemical attributes, understory vegetation, and bacterial diversity. Therefore, we speculated that the key drivers of the soil bacterial community were the soil physicochemical attributes and that stand density affected the soil bacterial community diversity by changing the soil physicochemical attributes. Overall, P. zhennan plantations with densities below 600 stems/hm² were conducive to complex and stable soil bacterial communities and nutrient cycles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Management Impacts on Soil Biological, Chemical and Physical Properties)

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16 pages, 2566 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Arthropod Recolonization of Soil Surface Habitat in Post-Fire Mulch Treatments

by Christine Mott, Anita Antoninka and Richard Hofstetter

Forests 2023, 14(7), 1421; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14071421 - 11 Jul 2023

Viewed by 805

Abstract

Increasing size, severity, and human proximity to fires in the western US are driving a need for more effective ecosystem restoration in the immediate post-fire period. Surface treatments, such as mastication of logging slash, reduce erosion and improve soil nutrient and water retention [...] Read more.

Increasing size, severity, and human proximity to fires in the western US are driving a need for more effective ecosystem restoration in the immediate post-fire period. Surface treatments, such as mastication of logging slash, reduce erosion and improve soil nutrient and water retention on steep slopes. However, few studies have investigated the impact of these treatments on arthropod communities over time. Our objective was to determine which insect communities return to these treated areas and if the mulch changes the community structure over time. We surveyed arthropod abundance using pitfall traps in mulch treatments in a landscape-scale fire near Flagstaff, Arizona, and a controlled split-plot experiment outside of the larger fire footprint. Predatory beetles were more abundant in mulch in the large landscape treatment, with no differences in abundance in the split plots. Fungivores had no significant mulch preference, and several native bark beetles were more abundant in the untreated sites. We found that the size of the fire footprint and distance to the intact forest matrix likely impact arthropod community composition over time. We were unable to fully evaluate vegetation recovery, but further work will allow us to understand how surface treatments impact the interaction of arthropods and vegetation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Management Impacts on Soil Biological, Chemical and Physical Properties)

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20 pages, 5601 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Heavy Logging Machinery Impacts Soil Physical Properties More than Nematode Communities

by Kara S. Gibson, Deborah A. Neher, Nancy C. Johnson, Robert R. Parmenter and Anita J. Antoninka

Forests 2023, 14(6), 1205; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14061205 - 10 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1448

Abstract

Mechanized logging equipment causes considerable soil disturbance, but little information is available regarding thresholds for impacts on soil nematodes—critical members of soil foodwebs which perform important ecological functions. We examined responses of nematode communities and soil physical characteristics to the increasing number of [...] Read more.

Mechanized logging equipment causes considerable soil disturbance, but little information is available regarding thresholds for impacts on soil nematodes—critical members of soil foodwebs which perform important ecological functions. We examined responses of nematode communities and soil physical characteristics to the increasing number of passes (one, three, or nine) by a tracked feller buncher during thinning of a xeric mixed conifer forest in New Mexico, USA. Within and between the harvester tracks, we measured soil surface penetration resistance and shear strength, quantified bulk density at four depth increments up to a maximum depth of 27 cm, and characterized nematode assemblages in the upper 10 cm. Eight months after treatment, nematode communities were less impacted than soil physical properties by harvester passes. Total nematode abundance was unaffected by any level of feller buncher disturbance, and sensitive K-selected nematode groups were reduced only at nine passes. Conversely, soil compaction occurred with a single pass and extended deep into the soil profile to at least 23–27 cm. The first pass also decreased surface penetration resistance and shear strength, indicating disruption of soil surface structural integrity. Additional passes did not further increase bulk density or decrease surface structural integrity. Our results indicate that low levels of logging machinery traffic may have negligible effects on nematode communities, but nevertheless emphasize the importance of minimizing areas subjected to disturbance because of impacts on soil physical properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Management Impacts on Soil Biological, Chemical and Physical Properties)

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21 pages, 8376 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Mixed Conifer Forest Thinning and Prescribed Fire on Soil Temperature and Moisture Dynamics in Proximity to Forest Logs: A Case Study in New Mexico, USA

by Robert R. Parmenter and Mark V. Losleben

Forests 2023, 14(6), 1117; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14061117 - 28 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1337

Abstract

Forest management activities often include fuels reduction through mechanized thinning followed by prescribed fire to remove slash. Management prescriptions may include the retention of logs for wildlife habitat and microsites for enhanced tree regeneration. We examined aboveground microclimate and belowground soil temperature and [...] Read more.

Forest management activities often include fuels reduction through mechanized thinning followed by prescribed fire to remove slash. Management prescriptions may include the retention of logs for wildlife habitat and microsites for enhanced tree regeneration. We examined aboveground microclimate and belowground soil temperature and volumetric water content (VWC) dynamics beneath and adjacent to logs at 10, 20, and 30 cm depths in a mixed conifer forest. We assessed the soil variables over 7 years during pre-treatment, post-thinning, and post-fire using a Before–After/Control–Impact experimental design. We found that thinning and burning caused large increases in solar radiation and mean and maximum wind speeds, but only small changes in air temperature and humidity. The treatments increased the soil temperatures beneath the logs by up to 2.7 °C during spring, summer, and fall; the soil VWC increased from 0.05 to 0.08 m³/m³ year-round at 20 and 30 cm depths. Microsites 1–2 m away from the logs also showed soil temperature increases of up to 3.6 °C in spring, summer, and fall, while the measurements of the soil VWC produced variable results (moderate increases and decreases). The increased VWC in late winter/spring likely resulted from reduced plant transpiration and greater snow amounts reaching the ground without being intercepted by the forest canopy. Log retention on thinned and burned sites provided microsites with increased soil temperature and moisture in the top 30 cm, which can enhance soil ecosystem processes and provide refugia for invertebrate and vertebrate wildlife. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Management Impacts on Soil Biological, Chemical and Physical Properties)

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22 pages, 4130 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mixed Plantations Induce More Soil Macroaggregate Formation and Facilitate Soil Nitrogen Accumulation

by Yaqin He, Qianchun Zhang, Shengqiang Wang, Chenyang Jiang, Yahui Lan, Han Zhang and Shaoming Ye

Forests 2023, 14(4), 735; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14040735 - 3 Apr 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1133

Abstract

Nitrogen plays a crucial role in limiting plant growth and determining net primary productivity in forest ecosystems. However, variations and influencing factors of soil nitrogen distribution on the aggregate scale in pure and mixed Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) plantations remain [...] Read more.

Nitrogen plays a crucial role in limiting plant growth and determining net primary productivity in forest ecosystems. However, variations and influencing factors of soil nitrogen distribution on the aggregate scale in pure and mixed Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) plantations remain unclear. This study aimed to explore how soil aggregate composition, geometric mean diameter (GMD), mean weight diameter (MWD), total nitrogen (TN), total acidolyzable nitrogen (TAN), available nitrogen (AN), nonacidolyzable nitrogen (AIN), amino acid nitrogen (AAN), nitrate nitrogen (NO₃⁻-N), cidolyzable ammonia nitrogen (AMN), unknown-acidolyzable nitrogen (HUN), amino sugar nitrogen (ASN), and ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N) contents and stocks varied with aggregate size (>2, 1–2, 0.25–1, and <0.25 mm) and stand type [Chinese fir mixed with Michelia macclurei Dandy (CF + MM), Chinese fir mixed with Mytilaria laosensis Lecomte (CF + ML) and pure stands of Chinese fir (CF)] in 0–20 and 20–40 cm soil depth. Soil N content in different stand types of Chinese fir plantations decreased as the aggregate size increased, whereas the soil N stock exhibited the opposite trend. In contrast to CF soil, CF + MM and CF + ML soil displayed a significant increase in MWD, GMD, and aggregate-associated TN, AN, NO₃⁻-N, NH₄⁺-N, AIN, AAN, ASN, and AMN contents and stocks, especially CF + MM soil. Organic N was more sensitive to the response of aggregate size and stand type than mineral N. Redundancy analysis and Pearson’s correlation analysis indicated that the 0.25–1 mm aggregate proportion was the main controlling factor for the variations in soil N content and storage. Overall, this study contributed significantly to the promotion of the sustainable use of soil resources and reference information for the scientific management and sustainable development of Chinese fir forests. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Management Impacts on Soil Biological, Chemical and Physical Properties)

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13 pages, 2931 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Soil Microbial Biomass and Community Composition across a Chronosequence of Chinese Cedar Plantations

by Ya Shen, Shichen Xiong, Chengming You, Li Zhang, Yu Li, Zongwen Hong, Yifan Hu, Jing Li, Han Li, Lixia Wang, Sining Liu, Bo Tan and Zhenfeng Xu

Forests 2023, 14(3), 470; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14030470 - 24 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1520

Abstract

Afforestation is one of the most important forestry practices, but its impact on soil microbial communities remains poorly understood. In this study, we sampled the soil from 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm soil depths of 7-, 13-, 24-, 33-, and 53-year-old Chinese cedar [...] Read more.

Afforestation is one of the most important forestry practices, but its impact on soil microbial communities remains poorly understood. In this study, we sampled the soil from 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm soil depths of 7-, 13-, 24-, 33-, and 53-year-old Chinese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica var. sinensis) plantations. To investigate the effect of stand age on soil microbial communities and their potential drivers, we measured phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and soil physicochemical properties. At the 0–15 cm soil depth, the biomass of total PLFAs and functional microbial groups such as bacteria (B), fungi (F), Gram-negative bacteria (GN), Gram-positive bacteria (GP), actinomycetes (ACT), and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) increased sharply in 7- to 13-year-old stands, but then gradually leveled off in older stands. On the other hand, the biomass of total PLFAs and functional microbial groups at the 15–30 cm soil depth peaked in the 33-year-old stand. The biomass of total PLFAs and functional microbial groups was strongly influenced by stand age and soil depth, and was significantly lower at the 15–30 cm soil depth than at the 0–15 cm soil depth except for the 7-year-old stand. The F/B and fungi/total PLFAs ratios of both soil depths were markedly lower in the 13-year-old stand than in the remaining four stand ages, while the proportions of the bacterial group (GP and GN) showed contrasting trends. The biomass of all functional microbial groups and the GP/GN ratio were mainly mediated by soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration and the soil organic carbon to total phosphorus (C/P) ratio at the 0–15 cm soil depth, but primarily affected by ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N) concentration at the 15–30 cm soil depth. The F/B ratio of the two soil depths was prominently affected by nitrate nitrogen (NO₃⁻-N) concentration. Our results highlighted that SOC concentration and mineral N (i.e., NH₄⁺-N and NO₃⁻-N) concentration mainly drove changes in the soil microbial biomass and community composition with stand age in Chinese cedar plantations, and that the 13-year-old stand may be the key period for management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Management Impacts on Soil Biological, Chemical and Physical Properties)

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12 pages, 10854 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Linking Soil Bacterial Communities to Soil Aggregates after Afforestation in a Karst Rocky Desertification Region

by Jiacheng Lan, Mingzhi Huang, Junxian Wang, Shasha Wang, Qixia Long, Xue Qi, Kunqian Yue and Lei Liu

Forests 2023, 14(2), 326; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14020326 - 7 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1265

Abstract

Afforestation influences soil aggregates and the soil microenvironment, and it also affects soil bacterial communities. However, the interactions between soil aggregation, soil properties, and the bacterial community that occur following afforestation are still unclear and are rarely studied in karst ecosystems. Soil samples [...] Read more.

Afforestation influences soil aggregates and the soil microenvironment, and it also affects soil bacterial communities. However, the interactions between soil aggregation, soil properties, and the bacterial community that occur following afforestation are still unclear and are rarely studied in karst ecosystems. Soil samples were collected from cropland, for reference, and from natural secondary forests and managed forests in a karst rocky desertification region of Southwest China. Soil aggregates were isolated using the wet-sieving method, and the soil bacterial community composition was determined using high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing. Afforestation promoted significant macro-aggregation (p < 0.05) and increased the soil organic carbon (38%), nitrogen (35.4%), exchangeable Ca (78.6%), and soil water contents (4.1%) but decreased the pH and bulk density. The changes in these soil aggregates and soil properties had marked effects on the abundance and composition of the bacterial community. Variation-partitioning analysis showed that, together, the soil aggregates and soil characteristics explained 23.4% of the variation in the bacterial community, and their interaction formed the largest contribution (14.6%). Overall, our findings suggest that both natural and managed afforestation may shift soil bacterial communities by promoting significant macro-aggregation and altering soil properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Management Impacts on Soil Biological, Chemical and Physical Properties)

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17 pages, 3331 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Alteration in Forest Soil Biogeochemistry through Coarse Wood Debris in Northeast China

by Kashif Khan, Anwaar Hussain, Muhammad Atif Jamil, Wenbiao Duan, Lixin Chen and Attaullah Khan

Forests 2022, 13(11), 1861; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13111861 - 7 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1461

Abstract

Coarse woody debris (CWD) has a strong influence on nutrient dynamics and hinders its availability through fixation. The CWD decaying logs, with two states (three and four) impacting on carbon (C) capture, nutrient dynamics and enzymatic properties, were investigated under and away (50 [...] Read more.

Coarse woody debris (CWD) has a strong influence on nutrient dynamics and hinders its availability through fixation. The CWD decaying logs, with two states (three and four) impacting on carbon (C) capture, nutrient dynamics and enzymatic properties, were investigated under and away (50 cm) from the logs in three forest types, i.e., the Picea koraiensis-Abies nephrolepis-Pinus koraiensis forest (PAPF), Betula costata-Pinus koraiensis forest (BPF) and Tilia amurensis-Pinus koraiensis forest (TPF). The results showed that soil organic carbon (OC), nitrogen (N), soil pH, other soil nutrients and enzymatic activity were significantly affected by the forest types, decay class and distance from decaying logs in three forests. The CWD, with decay class IV under CWD, resulted in the optimum OC 64.7 mg g⁻¹, N 6.9 mg g⁻¹ and enzymatic activity in the PAPF forest, and the distance effect was negligible for all the forests. A lower soil pH value of 3.8 was observed at decay class IV in the soil collected from the immediate vicinity of the deadwood. CWD play a key role in decaying logs in forest ecosystems to enhance C and the nutrient budget with the improved enzymatic activity of the soil. It was concluded from this research that CWD is a critical factor in the nutrient cycling process of forest ecosystems that contributes functionally to the forest floor by inducing the spatial heterogeneity of enzymatic activity, C and nutrient turnover. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Management Impacts on Soil Biological, Chemical and Physical Properties)

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Review

Jump to: Research, Other

14 pages, 3085 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Harvesting on the Abundance and Richness of Soil Fauna in Boreal and Temperate Forests

by Alexey Kudrin, Evgenia Perminova, Anastasia Taskaeva, Alla Ditts and Tatiana Konakova

Forests 2023, 14(5), 923; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14050923 - 29 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1386

Abstract

The processes of matter and energy metabolism in forest ecosystems are largely dependent on the activity of the complex of invertebrates associated with litter and soil. To quantify the effect of forest harvesting on soil fauna, we used a meta-analysis to examine a [...] Read more.

The processes of matter and energy metabolism in forest ecosystems are largely dependent on the activity of the complex of invertebrates associated with litter and soil. To quantify the effect of forest harvesting on soil fauna, we used a meta-analysis to examine a database of 720 responses to harvesting collected from 52 publications from boreal and temperate forests. Overall, forest harvesting was found to decrease the abundance of soil fauna while not affecting its richness. However, the reaction of soil fauna to forest harvesting differed significantly among the taxonomic groups, with negative, neutral, and positive effects observed. We found that the negative effect of forest harvesting on soil fauna increased with decreasing body size. In addition, the type of forest and harvesting practice played important roles in driving the responses of soil biota to forest harvesting. The abundance of Nematoda, Oribatida, and Enchytraeidae recovered to control values occurring approximately 10 years after harvesting. Despite the limitations of the dataset, the results obtained from our meta-analysis expand our understanding of the reaction of soil fauna to forest harvesting. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Management Impacts on Soil Biological, Chemical and Physical Properties)

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Other

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7 pages, 1066 KiB

Open AccessConference Report

Considering Soil Biota and Symbioses in Forest Management and Ecosystem Restoration

by Beatrice Bock and Lisa Markovchick

Forests 2023, 14(6), 1236; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14061236 - 15 Jun 2023

Viewed by 1016

Abstract

At the 16th Biennial Conference of Science & Management on the Colorado Plateau & Southwest Region on 12–15 September 2022, the authors hosted a symposium on the topic of “Considering host-microbial interactions in ecosystem restoration”. The goal of this symposium was to showcase [...] Read more.

At the 16th Biennial Conference of Science & Management on the Colorado Plateau & Southwest Region on 12–15 September 2022, the authors hosted a symposium on the topic of “Considering host-microbial interactions in ecosystem restoration”. The goal of this symposium was to showcase studies that demonstrate how soil biota and symbioses can be used to promote forest restoration. Two key principles emerging from the symposium and research on this topic include the following: (1) diverse, native mixes of appropriate soil biota can meaningfully shift forests and plantings towards more successful and ecologically appropriate conditions; (2) context is important to consider in determining the appropriateness of plant and microbial pairings, including the similarity of source material and work sites across a variety of factors. To summarize the literature and discussion on this topic, we offer a graphical depiction of several of the factors to consider. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Management Impacts on Soil Biological, Chemical and Physical Properties)

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