西双版纳热带季节雨林土壤氮含量对乔木树种多样性的影响?

大气氮沉降或人类活动导致生态系统氮输入增加,可能会提高土壤氮含量水平,促进优势种的生长和减少环境异质性,从而使物种共存的生态位减少,群落物种多样性降低。为研究土壤氮含量的增加对森林群落乔木树种多样性的影响,本研究在西双版纳热带季节雨林随机设置了14个1 ha的样方,对各样方土壤总氮( TN)含量、乔木树种丰富度以及西双版纳热带季节雨林20 ha动态监测样地中各样方乔木树种及建群种望天树( Parashorea chinensis)生物量进行了调查。结果表明：土壤氮含量与乔木树种丰富度具有显著负相关而与群落及建群种望天树生物量具有显著正相关。我们推测其机制可能是：土壤氮含量增加促进了建群种望天树等的生长及群落生物量的积累,减少树种共存的生态位,由于竞争排斥等原因而导致群落树种丰富度降低。因此,减少生态系统人为氮输入,对于保护西双版纳热带季节雨林乔木树种多样性具有重要意义。     

喀斯特森林土壤养分的空间异质性及其对树种分布的影响

以贵州省茂兰国家级自然保护区喀斯特峰丛坡面中原生性常绿落叶阔叶混交林为研究对象, 以建立的100 m × 100 m样地的群落学调查数据和基于网格取样的土壤养分数据为基础, 采用半方差函数、Kriging空间插值和典范对应分析(canonical correspondence analysis, CCA)等方法分析了喀斯特森林土壤养分的空间异质性特征及其对树种分布的影响。结果表明: 喀斯特峰丛坡面土壤养分的变异系数为10%-80%, 变异程度中等。各土壤养分指标均具有良好的空间自相关性, 其中全磷(TP)、全钾(TK)、全镁(TMg)和pH值呈强烈的空间自相关, 而有机质(OM)、全钙(TCa)、速效磷(AP)和速效钾(AK)为中等程度的空间自相关; TCa的空间变异尺度最小, OM、TP和AK的空间变异尺度较大。土壤TK、TP、TCa、TMg、AP和pH值等随着海拔高度的增加和岩石裸露率的降低而逐渐减少, OM则随着海拔高度的增加而趋于增加, 这表明喀斯特地形因子是造成土壤养分空间变异的重要因素。CCA分析表明, 土壤养分的空间变异性显著影响到群落中树种的组成与空间分布, 其中TK、TMg、pH值、TCa和OM的影响最为明显, 体现了不同植物在土壤资源利用上的生态位分化, 这有助于喀斯特森林群落物种多样性与稳定性的维持。     

西双版纳热带季节雨林土壤氮含量对乔木树种多样性的影响

大气氮沉降或人类活动导致生态系统氮输入增加,可能会提高土壤氮含量水平,促进优势种的生长和减少环境异质性,从而使物种共存的生态位减少,群落物种多样性降低。为研究土壤氮含量的增加对森林群落乔木树种多样性的影响,本研究在西双版纳热带季节雨林随机设置了14个1 ha的样方,对各样方土壤总氮(TN)含量、乔木树种丰富度以及西双版纳热带季节雨林20 ha动态监测样地中各样方乔木树种及建群种望天树(Parashorea chinensis)生物量进行了调查。结果表明:土壤氮含量与乔木树种丰富度具有显著负相关而与群落及建群种望天树生物量具有显著正相关。我们推测其机制可能是:土壤氮含量增加促进了建群种望天树等的生长及群落生物量的积累,减少树种共存的生态位,由于竞争排斥等原因而导致群落树种丰富度降低。因此,减少生态系统人为氮输入,对于保护西双版纳热带季节雨林乔木树种多样性具有重要意义。     

喀斯特木论自然保护区土壤养分的空间变异特征

基于网格(20m×20m)采样法采集土壤样品,利用经典统计学和地统计方法分析了典型喀斯特峰丛洼地(200m×100m)土壤养分的空间变异特征.结果表明:研究区土壤pH值表现为弱变异,其他各养分指标均为中等程度变异,大小顺序为速效磷(AP)速效钾(AK)碱解氮(AN)土壤有机质(SOM)全钾(TK)全磷(TP)全氮(TN);pH半变异函数的最佳拟合模型为球状模型,TK和AK的最佳拟合模型为指数模型,其他养分指标的最佳拟合模型均为高斯模型;pH、AK的变异尺度(变程)较小,分别为58.1和41.1m,SOM、TN、TP、AN、AP的变异尺度相近,在100～150m,TK的变异尺度最大(463.5m);除研究区土壤TK、TN表现为中等的空间自相关性外,其他土壤养分指标均表现为强烈的空间自相关性.pH、AK呈零星斑块状分布,表现为高异质性;SOM、TP、TK的变化趋势较平缓,呈中间高、两边低的分布格局;AN、AP的空间分布具有显著的相似性,均随坡度的增加而呈片状上升趋势;TN的分布较特殊,呈中间低、两边高的趋势.植被、地形和高异质性的微生境是造成喀斯特木论自然保护区土壤养分格局差异的主要因素.     

桂西北喀斯特地区石灰土养分空间变异特征

从区域尺度出发,将整个桂西北喀斯特地区作为研究区域,以大面积野外调查采样和室内分析数据为基础,采用经典统计学和地统计学方法,探索喀斯特区域内石灰土养分的空间异质性和分布格局。结果表明:桂西北喀斯特地区石灰土pH为弱变异,其他养分变异系数为30%—75%,变异程度中等。石灰土各养分的空间变异特征不同,土壤有机质(SOM)、速效磷(AP)和速效钾(AK)的最佳拟合模型依次为球状模型、高斯模型和线性模型,pH、碱解氮(AN)、全氮(TN)、全磷(TP)和全钾(TK)的最佳拟合模型均为指数模型。SOM、AP、TN和TP表现为中等空间相关性,空间差异是由随机因素和结构性因素共同作用引起的;pH、AN、AK和TK呈弱空间相关性,空间变异主要受随机因素的控制;SOM和TN的空间变异尺度较大,pH、AN和TK的空间变异尺度最小。SOM、TN、TP和AP养分含量呈自西向东逐渐减少的趋势,pH、AN、AK和TK在区域尺度上的分布没有呈现一定的规律性。相关分析结果表明,在区域大尺度下,地形因子(如海拔、坡度和岩石裸露率等)和植被类型是影响桂西北喀斯特石灰土空间变异特征的重要因素。     

三峡库区消落带落羽杉(Taxodium distichum)与柳树(Salix matsudana)人工植被对土壤营养元素含量的影响

落羽杉与柳树被认为是三峡库区消落带植被修复的适生树种。2012年7月(T1)及2013年7月(T2)在消落带人工基地取样,研究了消落带人工植被(处理组)及裸地土壤(对照组)的营养元素含量,并对植被生长情况进行调查。结果表明:(1)对比处理组与对照组养分含量发现,T1时除土壤p H值外,其他养分含量在处理组与对照组间均存在差异。T2时只有p H值、磷(包括有效磷AP、全磷TP)、速效钾(AK)含量在处理组与对照组中差异显著。(2)对同一植被类型而言,T2时落羽杉土壤p H值与土壤有机质含量(OM)均显著低于T1,同样,T2时柳树实生土壤OM也显著降低;处理组土壤中碱解氮(AN)、AP、全钾(TK)含量极显著的低于淹水前,而TP含量却显著升高;与T1相比,T2时裸地土壤除AN含量降低、AK含量显著升高外,其它养分含量均未呈现显著差异。(3)相关性分析表明,土壤p H值与TP含量呈现极显著负相关,而OM与AN、AP、TK分别呈现出极显著正相关。AN、AP分别与TP表现出极显著负相关关系,而与TK表现出极显著正相关关系。TK与TP也呈现极显著的负相关关系。此外,植物高度、基径与冠幅三项生长指标与土壤中的p H值、OM、AN、AP(高度除外)、TK呈现出负相关的现象。研究表明,落羽杉与柳树人工植被对土壤养分的影响主要出现在水淹之前,进一步证实在三峡库区消落带开展科学的植被修复与重建值得提倡和肯定。     

喀斯特常绿落叶阔叶混交林土壤磷钾养分空间异质性

在木论国家级自然保护区内喀斯特常绿落叶阔叶混交林内建立500 m×500 m长期监测样地,采用经典统计学和地统计学方法研究喀斯特森林土壤磷钾养分含量及其空间变异特征。结果表明:研究区土壤全磷(TP)、全钾(TK)、速效磷(AP)、速效钾(AK)含量分别为(1.60±0.76)g/kg、(5.42±2.74)g/kg、(5.74±3.63)mg/kg、(5.20±2.96)mg/kg;磷钾养分含量均为中等变异,变异强度为APAKTKTP。研究区土壤TP、TK、AP、AK变异函数值的最佳拟合模型均为指数模型,决定系数均很高(0.671-0.995),TP、AP呈中等强度空间自相关,TK、AK呈弱空间自相关。TP、AP的变程较长,分别为336.00 m和373.50 m,空间连续性较好,TK、AK变程较短(33.30 m、64.50 m),空间依赖性较强。土壤TP表现为坡下(含洼地)含量高,坡上含量较低;AK表现为坡中含量高于洼地含量;AP、TK呈斑块破碎化分布。海拔、坡度和地面凹凸度是土壤磷钾养分空间异质性的主要影响因素。喀斯特常绿落叶阔叶混交林土壤磷钾养分存在不同空间异质性和空间关联性,这为小流域尺度上土壤养分管理、可持续利用策略、喀斯特退化生态系统生态恢复提供理论依据。     

联合梯田农业文化遗产稻田土壤养分空间变异特征

研究稻田土壤养分(有机质(OM)、碱解氮(AN)、有效磷(AP)和速效钾(AK))空间分布特征对稻田的科学科学管理具有重要意义。选取联合梯田稻田土壤作为研究对象,基于半变异方差函数分析土壤养分的空间变异性,并进一步分析地形因子对其影响。结果表明:(1)联合梯田稻田土壤OM、AN、AP和AK含量范围分别为3.6—49.9 g/kg、67—423 mg/kg、3.1—79.6 mg/kg和15—300 mg/kg;其变异系数范围为24.23%—63.9%,均属于中等变异水平;(2)将土壤养分分为5级,包括偏高(Ⅰ)、丰富(Ⅱ)、中等(Ⅲ)、缺乏(Ⅳ)和偏低(Ⅴ),区内土壤OM和AN丰富,Ⅱ级以上水平分别占94.5%和88.5%;而AP和AK则较为缺乏,IV级以下水平分别占37%和51.5%;(3)土壤OM、AN和AP具有强烈的空间自相关性,表明其主要受结构因素影响;而AK为中等强度的空间自相关,表明其同时受结构和随机因素控制;AN和AK空间自相关尺度较大,且在步长小于2000 m和1600m时,各方向(0°、45°、90°和135°)变化平稳,为各向同性,而OM和AP变程较小,且各方向变化复杂,为各向异性。这些结果表明,政府需加强施肥指导,合理增加磷肥和钾肥,适当降低氮肥施用和秸秆还田量。此外,在后续调查采样时,适当加密OM和AP采样点布设,而AN和AK采样可以在此基础上适当减少样点。     

种植方式和裸岩率对喀斯特洼地土壤养分空间分异特征的影响

选取桂西北典型喀斯特洼地，研究了种植方式和裸岩率对土壤养分空间分布的影响.结果表明:种植方式对土壤有机碳(SOC)、全氮(TN)、全磷(TP)、全钾(TK)、碱解氮(AN)、速效磷(AP)、速效钾(AK)和C/N有显著影响；裸岩率对SOC、TN、TP、TK、AN、AK和C/N有显著影响，对SOC、TN、TP和AN的影响程度大于种植制度的影响，这主要与农户在裸岩率较低的地段耕作强度较大有关；木豆 板栗地的SOC、TN、TP、TK、AN、AK等含量显著高于其它种植方式，说明退耕在一定程度上有利于土壤养分的积累；受地形地貌特征和土地利用结构的影响，SOC的空间分布表现为坡脚大于洼地;AP的空间分布与SOC不同，主要受施肥影响，表现为洼地高于坡脚.     

浙江仙居俞坑森林群落研究

浙江仙居俞坑森林群落植物种类丰富, 优势种不明显, 群落中植物种类以常绿阔叶树种为主, 落叶阔叶成分也有一定比例。各样地植物种类相似性很低, 组成很不一致。群落垂直结构复杂, 地上成层明显。群落乔木层物种多样性指数较高, 各样地间多样性指数测值变幅较大。样地内的优势种群中常绿阔叶树种的年龄结构呈稳定型或增长型、而落叶树种的年龄结构呈衰退型。乔木层各优势种群的分布格局多呈随机分布或均匀分布。     

Soil phosphorus heterogeneity promotes tree species diversity and phylogenetic clustering in a tropical seasonal rainforest

The niche theory predicts that environmental heterogeneity and species diversity are positively correlated in tropical forests, whereas the neutral theory suggests that stochastic processes are more important in determining species diversity. This study sought to investigate the effects of soil nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) heterogeneity on tree species diversity in the Xishuangbanna tropical seasonal rainforest in southwestern China. Thirty‐nine plots of 400 m² (20 × 20 m) were randomly located in the Xishuangbanna tropical seasonal rainforest. Within each plot, soil nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) availability and heterogeneity, tree species diversity, and community phylogenetic structure were measured. Soil phosphorus heterogeneity and tree species diversity in each plot were positively correlated, while phosphorus availability and tree species diversity were not. The trees in plots with low soil phosphorus heterogeneity were phylogenetically overdispersed, while the phylogenetic structure of trees within the plots became clustered as heterogeneity increased. Neither nitrogen availability nor its heterogeneity was correlated to tree species diversity or the phylogenetic structure of trees within the plots. The interspecific competition in the forest plots with low soil phosphorus heterogeneity could lead to an overdispersed community. However, as heterogeneity increase, more closely related species may be able to coexist together and lead to a clustered community. Our results indicate that soil phosphorus heterogeneity significantly affects tree diversity in the Xishuangbanna tropical seasonal rainforest, suggesting that deterministic processes are dominant in this tropical forest assembly.     

西双版纳热带季节雨林的生物量及其分配特征

 根据3块1 hm² 样地的调查资料,利用123株样木数据建立以胸径(D)为单变量的生物量预测方程。采用样木回归分析法(乔木层、木质藤本)和样 方收获法(灌木层、草本层), 获取西双版纳热带季节雨林的生物量,并分析了其组成和分配特征。结果表明,西双版纳热带季节雨林的总生物 量为423.908±109.702 Mg•hm^－2(平均值±标准差,n=3) ,其中活体植物生物量占95.28%,粗死木质残体占4.07%,地上凋落物占 0.64%。在 其层次分配方面：乔木层优势明显,占98.09%±0.60%;其次为木质藤本,占0.83%±0.31%;灌木层和草本层生物量均小于木质藤本的生物量; 附生植物最低,仅为0.06%±0.03%。总生物量的器官分配以茎所占比例最高,达68.33%;根、枝、叶的比例分别为18.91%、11.07%和1.65 %。 乔木层生物量的径级分配主要集中于中等径级和最大径级。大树(D＞70 cm)具有较高的生物量,占整个乔木层的43.67%±12.67%。树种分配方 面,生物量排序前10位的树种占乔木层总生物量的63.43%±4.09%,生物量集中分配于少量优势树种。西双版纳热带季节雨林乔木层叶面积指数 为6.39±0.85。西双版纳热带季节雨林乔木层的地上生物量位于世界热带湿润森林的中下范围。     

西双版纳热带森林动态监测样地——树种组成与空间分布格局

 西双版纳热带雨林是中国生物多样性最丰富的生态系统之一,西双版纳也被公认为国际上重要的生物多样性保护的热点地区之一。2007年,在中国科学院生物多样性委员会、加拿大Alberta大学和中国台湾东海大学等相关单位的支持下,由中国科学院西双版纳热带植物园和西双版纳州自然保护区管理局在西双版纳州勐腊县补蚌村的望天树(Shorea wantianshuea)林中建立了一块面积为 20 hm²的热带森林动态监测样地,该样地是中国森林生物多样性动态监测网络建设的重要组成部分之一,其建设技术是按照美国史密森热带研究所的热带森林研究中心(Center for Tropical Forest Science, CTFS) 1980年在巴拿马Barro Colorado Island建立50 hm²样地的技术规范进行的。我们逐一测量并记录了样地中所有树干胸径大于1 cm树木的胸围,并对其挂牌标记、鉴定种名和确定坐标位置。并应用Ripley’s L-Function分析了样地内4种上层优势种和12个稀有种的空间分布格局。研究结果表明：样地内共含有胸径 ≥ 1 cm的乔木95 834株,其中已经鉴定的有95 498株,占总个体数的99.65％;有乔木种类468种 ,隶属于213个属和70个科;另外有336个个体没有鉴定出来,仅占总个体数的0.35％。上层乔木中的望天树重要值排名第2,但具有最大的胸高断面积;中、下层的假海桐(Pittospo ropsiskerrii)个体数最多,占样地内已鉴定乔木个体总数的21.90％。样地内4个上层优势种的小径阶个体数量较多, 而大径阶个体数量较少,径阶分布呈倒“J”型,因此这4个种群可以维持自我更新。在分布格局上,样地内的4个上层优势树种的幼树和中龄树以聚集分布为主,而成年树则以随机分布为主。另外,大多数稀有物种也表现出聚集分布的格局。     

Clustered animal burrows yield higher spatial heterogeneity

An understanding of the relationships between spatial heterogeneity and disturbance regime is important for establishing the mechanisms necessary to maintain biodiversity. Our objective was to examine how the configuration of disturbance by burrowing rodents (Siberian marmot) affected the spatial heterogeneity of vegetation and soil nutrient properties. We established three 2500-m² (50 m × 50 m) isolated-burrows plots and three 2500-m² clustered-burrows plots in a Mongolian grassland. Each plot was subdivided into 4-m² quadrats, and the plant species richness, percent coverage, and soil nutrient properties in the quadrats were surveyed. Spatial heterogeneity was calculated for vegetation using the mean dissimilarity of species composition among sample quadrats, and geostatistical analysis was used to calculate soil properties. Heterogeneous patches of plants such as Achnatherum splendens and higher nutrient concentrations were found only near the clustered burrows. As a result, spatial heterogeneities of vegetation and soil nutrient properties were higher in the clustered colony than those in the isolated colony. The configuration of disturbance patches affected the spatial heterogeneity at the landscape level through the spatial pattern of disturbance frequency.     

Influence of soils and topography on Amazonian tree diversity: a landscape‐scale study

Question: How do soils and topography influence Amazonian tree diversity, a region with generally nutrient‐starved soils but some of the biologically richest tree communities on Earth? Location: Central Amazonia, near Manaus, Brazil. Methods: We evaluated the influence of 14 soil and topographic features on species diversity of rain forest trees (≥10 cm diameter at breast height), using data from 63 1‐ha plots scattered over an area of ～400 km². Results: An ordination analysis identified three major edaphic gradients: (1) flatter areas had generally higher nutrient soils (higher clay content, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, pH and exchangeable bases, and lower aluminium saturation) than did slopes and gullies; (2) sandier soils had lower water storage (plant available water capacity), phosphorus and nitrogen; and (3) soil pH varied among sites. Gradient 2 was the strongest predictor of tree diversity (species richness and Fisher's α values), with diversity increasing with higher soil fertility and water availability. Gradient 2 was also the best predictor of the number of rare (singleton) species, which accounted on average for over half (56%) of all species in each plot. Conclusions: Although our plots invariably supported diverse tree communities (≥225 species ha^?1), the most species‐rich sites (up to 310 species ha^?1) were least constrained by soil water and phosphorus availability. Intriguingly, the numbers of rare and common species were not significantly correlated in our plots, and they responded differently to major soil and topographic gradients. For unknown reasons rare species were significantly more frequent in plots with many large trees.     

西双版纳“龙山”片断热带雨林中小型土壤动物群落组成与多样性研究

对西双纳不同面积“龙山”片断干性季节雨林和保护区连续湿性季节雨淋凋落物层土壤动物群落多样性研究表明,土壤动物群落物种丰盛度,多度和多样性的变化不顾在随雨林片断化面积减少而降低的“种－面积效应”,而雨林片断化后因先锋植物（喜阳性）侵入产生的“干暖效应”,使片断雨林凋落物增多,腐殖质,土壤有机质,N,P等元素含量增高,土壤生境条件更有利于土壤动物生存,其群落多样性指数高于连续湿性季节雨林,但2种生境土壤动物群落种－多度模型均表现为对数级模式。     

Similar non-random processes maintain diversity in two tropical rainforests.

Quadrat-based analysis of two rainforest plots of area 50 ha, one in Panama (Barro Colorado Island, BCI) and the other in Malaysia (Pasoh), shows that in both plots recruitment is in general negatively correlated with both numbers and biomass of adult trees of the same species in the same quadrat. At BCI, this effect is not significantly influenced by treefall gaps. In both plots, recruitment of individual species is negatively correlated with the numbers of trees of all species in the quadrats, but not with overall biomass. These observations suggest, but do not prove, widespread frequency-dependent effects produced by pathogens and seed-predators that act most effectively in quadrats crowded with trees. Within-species correlations of mortality with numbers or biomass are not found in either plot, indicating that most frequency-dependent mortality takes place before the trees reach 1 cm in diameter. Stochastic effects caused by BCI's more rapid tree turnover may contribute to a larger variance in diversity from quadrat to quadrat at BCI, although they are not sufficient to explain why BCI has fewer than half as many tree species as Pasoh. Finally, in both plots quadrats with low diversity show a significant increase in diversity over time, and this increase is stronger at BCI. This process, like the frequency-dependence, will tend to maintain diversity over time. In general, these non-random forces that should lead to the maintenance of diversity are slightly stronger at BCI, even though the BCI plot is less diverse than the Pasoh plot.     

Dominant species and dispersal limitation regulate tree species distributions in a 20‐ha plot in Xishuangbanna,southwest China

Habitat heterogeneity and dispersal limitation are widely considered to be the two major mechanisms in determining tree species distributions. However, few studies have quantified the relative importance of these two mechanisms at different life stages of trees. Moreover, rigorous quantification of the effects of dominant tree species in determining species distributions has seldom been explored. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the distribution of tree species is regulated by different mechanisms at different life history stages. In particular, we hypothesised that dispersal limitation regulates the distribution of trees at early life stages and that environmental factors control the distribution of trees as they grow, because of niche differentiation resulting from environmental filtering. To test this, trees in 400‐m² quadrats in a 20‐ha plot in Xishuangbanna, southwest China were grouped into four classes on the basis of the diameter at breast height (DBH) that roughly represent different stages in the life history of trees. A neighbourhood index was computed to represent a neutral spatial autocorrelation effect. We used both biotic (dominant species) and abiotic (topography and soil) predictor variables to model the distribution of each target species while controlling for spatial autocorrelation within each of the DBH classes. To determine which factors played the largest role in regulating target species distribution, the simulated annealing method was used in model selection based on Akaike information criterion (AIC) values. The results showed that the relative importance of neutral and niche processes in regulating species distribution varied across life stages. The neutral neighbourhood index played the most important role in determining the distributions of small trees (1 cm ≤ DBH ≤ 10 cm), and dominant species, as biotic environmental predictor variables, were the next most important regulators for trees of this size. Environmental predictor variables played the most important role in determining the distributions of large trees (10 cm ≤ DBH). This finding builds on previous research into the relative importance of neutral and niche processes in determining species distributions regardless of life stages or DBH classes.     

林分密度对云顶山柏木人工林林下物种多样性和土壤理化性质的影响

以成都云顶山柏木(Cupressus funebris)人工林为对象,采用典型样地法研究不同林分密度(1100、950、800、650、500株/hm~2)对林下物种多样性和土壤理化性质及林下物种多样性与土壤理化性质相关性的影响。结果表明:共发现维管植物168种,隶属75科140属。随林分密度的降低,灌木层多样性指数呈先增后减的单峰变化,在密度650株/hm~2出现峰值,草本层多样性指数呈先增后减再增再减的双峰变化,在密度950株/hm~2和650株/hm~2出现峰值。同时发现光照为影响林下植物多样性的重要因素。林分密度对土壤全氮、全钾、速效钾、有机质影响显著,有机质、全氮、全钾、速效钾随林分密度降低呈先增后减的变化趋势。钾、氮、有机质与林下植被物种多样性关系最密切。结论:林分密度650株/hm~2为云顶山柏木人工林最适密度,该密度能较好的提高林下物种多样性和土壤肥力。     

Soil heterogeneity in tree mixtures depends on spatial clustering of tree species

Heterogeneity in soil characteristics promotes and maintains coexistence between a diverse set of species. In forests, trees have species-specific impacts on soil abiotic characteristics and mixing of tree species is being promoted as a tool to ensure high levels of diversity and functioning. Yet, limited knowledge is available on the effect of tree species composition and spatial clustering on heterogeneity in soil characteristics. In this paper we derived heterogeneity of key characteristics of the leaf litterfall, the forest floor and the mineral topsoil (C, N and base cation concentration, C:N ratio and mass) in 53 plots of 7 different tree species compositions. We found that heterogeneity increased from the leaf litterfall, through the forest floor down to the mineral topsoil. Mixing tree species did not lead to an increased heterogeneity in the forest floor and topsoil compared to monocultures. However, we did find that mixed plots where conspecific trees stand in groups are more heterogeneous than plots where species are intimately mixed. Our results imply that heterogeneity in soil characteristics does not necessarily increase with tree diversity, but that within mixed stands the spatial organization of tree species should be considered in relation to the scale at which heterogeneity is desired.