Decomposition of organic matter from 36 soils in a long-term pot experiment

The organic matter contents of thirty-six soils were measured annually for twenty years in a pot experiment. The soils originated mainly from arable land and varied in initial organic matter content, texture and pH. The soils were stored at an average air temperature of around 13 °C and every year each soil was mixed thoroughly. Throughout the experiment, soil moisture was kept between 50-70% of its water holding capacity. No organic matter was added during the experiment, so that gross soil organic matter decomposition could be assessed. Relative decomposition rates of soil organic matter decreased as time proceeded. Despite the wide range of soils studied, it was found that during the initial decades, the pattern of soil organic matter degradation was strongly correlated with the organic matter content of the soils at the start of the experiment. This means that during this period the time course of the organic matter content of the soils in our experiment can be estimated from the initial soil organic matter content alone.     

我国23个土壤磷素淋失风险评估Ⅱ.淋失临界值与土壤理化性质和磷吸附特性的关系

从13个省（市）采取23个耕地表层土壤,通过室内模拟试验测定其磷素淋失临界值和pH、有机质、＜0.01mm、＜0.002mm、交换性钙镁、活性铁铝、磷等温吸附特性等,以建立土壤磷素淋失临界值与土壤基本理化性质和磷吸附特性之间的关系.结果表明：土壤pH＜6.0时,随土壤pH提高临界值增加,土壤pH与临界值之间呈显著的指数关系;而当土壤pH＞6.0时,随土壤pH提高临界值减小,在pH6.5左右土壤磷素淋失临界值最高.土壤磷素淋失临界值与土壤有机质、活性铁（铝）、交换性钙之间存在显著的相关,而与交换性镁、CEC、＜0.01mm、＜0.002mm、K、Qm的相关性受土壤酸碱度影响.可以通过测定土壤有机质或活性铁的含量,来计算土壤磷素淋失临界值,评价土壤磷素淋失的风险.供试的23个土壤,除了采自湖北潜江的20号水稻土存在比较大的磷素淋失风险,其余土壤发生磷素淋失的风险很小.     

Predicting arsenic bioavailability to hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata in arsenic-contaminated soils

Using chemical extraction to evaluate plant arsenic availability in contaminated soils is important to estimate the time frame for site cleanup during phytoremediation. It is also of great value to assess As mobility in soil and its risk in environmental contamination. In this study, four conventional chemical extraction methods (water, ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate, and Mehlich III) and a new root-exudate based method were used to evaluate As extractability and to correlate it with As accumulation in P. vittata growing in five As-contaminated soils under greenhouse condition. The relationship between different soil properties, and As extractability and plant As accumulation was also investigated. Arsenic extractability was 4.6%, 7.0%, 18%, 21%, and 46% for water, ammonium sulfate, organic acids, ammonium phosphate, and Mehlich III, respectively. Root exudate (organic acids) solution was suitable for assessing As bioavailability (81%) in the soils while Mehlich III (31%) overestimated the amount of As taken up by plants. Soil organic matter, P and Mg concentrations were positively correlated to plant As accumulation whereas Ca concentration was negatively correlated. Further investigation is needed on the effect of Ca and Mg on As uptake by P. vittata. Moreover, additional As contaminated soils with different properties should be tested.     

Chemical properties of forest soils as affected by nests of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Myrmica ruginodis</Emphasis> (Formicidae)

Chemical properties (total and available P concentration; oxidizable C concentration; available K, Na, and Ca concentration; and pH) were quantified for 33 nests of the ant Myrmica ruginodis and in surrounding soil in young spruce forest stands. All properties, except total P, were significantly higher in the nests than in the surrounding soil. Total P was not higher in nests than in surrounding soil across all nests because nests had higher total P than surrounding soil if the soil contained low concentrations of total P but nests had lower total P than surrounding soil if the soil contained high concentrations of total P. The effect of nests on total P in the surrounding soil corresponded with effects of nests on oxidizable carbon (an indicator of organic matter) in the surrounding soil (concentrations of oxidizable carbon and total P were closely correlated). Available P concentrations were much higher in nests than in surrounding soil. Overall, the results indicated that two main processes explain the chemical changes of soil in the ant nests: (i) mixing due to excavation of deeper soil layers and (ii) deposition of excreta and food residues. The effect of soil mixing (whereby ants transport mineral soil from deeper layers to layers near the surface) is more pronounced in soils with high organic content near the surface because mixing increases the proportion of mineral soil in the nest while decreasing the proportion of organic matter and the concentration of total P.     

三种苦苣苔对石灰土和红壤的适应性分析

为探讨苦苣苔科植物对其岩溶生境的适应性,该研究选取黄花牛耳朵(Primulina lutea)、紫花报春苣苔(Pri.purpurea)和桂林蛛毛苣苔(Paraboea guilinensis)三种苦苣苔科植物,将其栽种在石灰土及红壤两种不同类型的土壤中,观测记录其生长性状并对其叶片元素含量进行测定和比较。植株采集过程中,同时采集自然生境中三种苦苣苔科植物叶片及取样植物基部土壤,并对叶片及土壤元素的含量进行测定,作为今后苗圃试验的参照。结果表明:三种苦苣苔科植物在两种土壤上的生长状况及适应性具有差异,其在石灰土上生长良好,在红壤上生长较差;在两种不同土壤中,除N外,桂林蛛毛苣苔的叶片其他元素(P、K、Mn、Mg、Ca、Zn、Cu)差异极显著(P0.01);除P外,紫花报春苣苔的叶片其他元素(N、K、Mn、Mg、Ca、Zn、Cu)差异极显著(P0.01);除N、Cu、Ca外,黄花牛耳朵的叶片元素(P、K、Mn、Mg、Zn)差异极显著(P0.01);三种植物的叶片元素比值,除少数值没有差异外,大部分指标差异都极显著;对叶片元素与栽培土壤元素的相关性分析,发现植物叶片Mn元素与土壤中N、Ca、Mg、Zn、Mn、有机质含量等呈正相关,土壤P元素与叶片中N、P元素呈正相关,而与叶片中Zn元素呈负相关关系。在其他栽培条件一致的条件下,土壤因素及物种差别是造成黄花牛耳朵、紫花报春苣苔和桂林蛛毛苣苔适应性产生差异的主要原因。     

中亚热带不同母质发育森林土壤磷组分特征及其影响因素

本研究以福建三明砂岩和花岗岩发育的米槠林土壤和杉木林土壤为对象,分析土壤磷组分、铁铝氧化物、微生物生物量以及磷酸酶活性等指标,研究母质和森林类型对土壤磷组分的影响程度和机制.结果表明:母质和森林类型显著影响土壤不同磷组分含量.总体上,砂岩发育土壤全磷含量、活性无机/有机磷、中等活性无机/有机磷以及惰性磷含量均显著高于花...     

Legacy phosphorus in subtropical wetland soils: Influence of dairy, improved and unimproved pasture land use

Wetlands provide various ecosystem services. One of these services includes nutrient storage in soils. Soils retain and release nutrients such as phosphorus (P). This dynamic can be controlled by soil characteristics, overlying water quality, environmental conditions and historical nutrient loading. Historical nutrient loading contributes to a legacy of P stored in soils and this may influence present day P dynamics between soil and water. We quantified P characteristics of wetland soils and determined the availability and capacity of soils to retain additional P loadings. We sampled surface (0-10) and subsurface (10-30) wetland soils within dairy, improved and unimproved pastures. Surface soils had much greater concentrations of organic and inorganic P. Wetland soils in dairy had greatest concentrations of Ca and Mg, probably due to inputs of inorganic fertilizer. They also had much greater total P, inorganic P, and P sorption capacity; however, these soils were P saturated and had little capacity to retain additional P loading. Improved and unimproved pasture wetland soils had greatest amounts of organic P (>84%) and a capacity to store additional P loadings. Using multivariate statistics, we determined that rather than being different based on land use, wetland soils in improved and unimproved pasture were dissimilar based upon organic matter, organic P fractions, residual P, and soil metal (Fe and Al) content. The legacy of stored P in soils, particularly wetland soils from dairies, combined with best management practices (BMPs) to reduce nutrient loading to these systems, could contribute to a short-term release of soil-stored P to overlying wetland water.     

Transfer factors for Sr as influenced by species Ca uptake and soil Ca availability

Strontium (Sr) and calcium (Ca) concentrations were studied in different plant species grown in five soil treatments. For either shoots or roots, a positive linear relationship was found between Sr and Ca concentrations in different plant species grown in the same soil treatment. Strontium and calcium concentrations of different species were related to the soil selectivity coefficient for Sr and Ca, defined as the ratio of CH₃COONH₄-extractable Sr and Ca to the ratio of Sr and Ca in the soil solution. For the species used in all soils, transfer factors (TF) for Sr, defined as the ratios of the Sr amount per g of dry plant material and the Sr amount per g of dry soil, were negatively correlated with extractable Ca of the soil. Transfer factors for Sr varied greatly among species or between roots and shoots. This variation of transfer factor was reduced when transfer factor values were divided by the shoot or root Ca concentration of each species. The proposed index TF for Sr per Ca concentration could be used to compare various soils according to their ability to supply plants with Sr when different plant species are grown in these soils.     

Influence of organic matter on the availability of certain elements to barley seedlings grown by a modified neubauer method

Summary The influence of organic matter on the availability of 17 elements (Na, K, Cs¹³⁷, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, N, P, B, Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Mo, Al, and Si) to barley seedlings grown by a modified Neubauer technique was determined. Three different soils that were treated with dry ground mustard spinach leaves (1 g/100 g soil) and incubated for various lengths of time (0, 1, 2, 5, 9, 13, and 17 weeks) in moist condition before cropping were used for this study.The addition of organic matter to the soils increased the plant yields. The average N and K concentrations were consistently increased in the plants grown in soils with added organic matter. The average concentration of B, P, Na, Mg, Sr, Ba, and Si were almost consistently decreased in the plants. The average contents of Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ca, and Al varied with the soil types and precropping incubation time. The average Cs¹³⁷ contents of the plants were reduced considerably by the addition of organic matter to the soils. The reduction of Cs¹³⁷ contents ranged from 29 to 75 per cent, depending on the pre-cropping incubation time and soil type. The main factors causing this reduction were considered to be microbial immobilization, ion antagonism by K, carbohydrate dilution, and the state of decomposition and the kind of organic matter added to the soils.     

定位施肥对紫色菜园土磷素状况的影响

基于紫色菜园土壤莴笋-白菜轮作3a的12季连续定位施肥试验,研究施肥对土壤磷素状况的影响。结果表明,在紫色土上以化肥为基础增施有机肥(泥炭或菜籽粕)既提高土壤磷含量,又增加无机磷组分中有效磷源和缓效磷源的比例,且不会增加磷素淋失的风险,是所有处理中最优者;增磷、增钾处理虽然提高了土壤磷含量,但未能提高速效磷源与缓效磷源的比例;增氮、增硼及常规施肥降低土壤磷含量和提高无效磷源的比例;无肥处理磷含量最低,无效磷源比例最高。紫色菜园土无机磷约为有机磷的4—6倍,无机磷各组分以钙磷为主,占I-P总量的60.89%—67.92%,显示紫色土风化程度较低。各形态磷素呈Ca10-P>Ca8-P>Fe-P≈Al-P≈OC-P>Ca2-P序列变化,其中Ca2-P和Al-P总共仅占无机磷总量的11.47%—19.43%,表明紫色土中对植物最有效的磷源不足;而Ca10-P和OC-P共占无机磷总量的42.48%—59.55%,意味着紫色土无机磷有一半左右是以作物不可利用的形态存在的。紫色土全磷与无机磷、有机磷、Ca2-P、Ca8-P、Al-P、Fe-P、OC-P及Ca10-P呈显著正相关;无机磷与多种形态磷呈显著正相关(除有机磷、Ca2-P、有效磷外);有机磷与全磷、Ca2-P显著正相关;有效磷与全磷、Ca2-P、Al-P、Fe-P显著正相关;无机磷组分间也都存在显著正相关关系(OC-P与Ca10-P间有极显著正相关,但它们与其它无机磷组分无相关性)。表明在土壤磷的整个循环系统中,不同组分无机磷与有机磷之间处于一个动态平衡中,它们之间存在着相互影响和制约。土壤pH与各形态磷关系密切。对土壤有效磷与无机磷组分间的关系进行系统分析,简单相关分析结果土壤有效磷与Ca2-P、Fe-P呈极显著正相关,与Al-P呈显著正相关,与Ca8-P、OC-P、Ca10-P正相关但不显著;通径分析结果对土壤有效磷直接影响较大的无机磷组分是Al-P、Ca8-P与Ca2-P,其中Ca8-P的直接影响为负效应;逐步回归分析结果与通径分析一致。综合分析得出,Ca2-P、Al-P是最有效的磷源,Fe-P、Ca8-P次之,Ca10-P与OC-P是非有效磷源。莴笋和白菜产量与紫色土壤Ca2-P、Ca8-P、Al-P、Fe-P呈显著正相关,与OC-P、Ca10-P无相关性。紫色土各形态无机磷与两种蔬菜产量的相关系数r大小依次为Ca2-P>Fe-P>AL-P>Ca8-P>Ca10-P>OC-P,这与各形态无机磷与有效磷简单相关分析的结果一致。     

Common Mesophilic Anaerobes, Including Clostridium botulinum and Clostridium tetani, in 21 Soil Specimens

A relatively rich medium was markedly superior to a dilute medium for the isolation of anaerobic bacteria from soil. The obligate anaerobes isolated from 21 soil samples were all clostridia and the counts ranged from 2.7 X 10-2 to 3.3 X 10-6 per g. The organisms most frequently isolated were Clostridium subterminate, C. sordelii, C. sporogenes, C. indolis, C. bifermentans, C. mangenoti, and C. perfringens. Seventeen other species were also recognized but almost one-third of the isolates could not be identified with any known species of Clostridium. C. botulinum type A was demonstrated in six soil samples, and type B in one. These soils were neutral to alkaline in reaction (average pH 7.9) and low in organic matter content (1.4%). The association of C. botulinum types A and B with neutral to alkaline soils was statistically significant (P = 0.001) as was their association with soils low in organic matter (P = 0.005). C. botulinum types E and F were found in one soil sample, pH 4.5, with organic matter 13.7%. C. tetani was isolated from two soil samples, both of intermediate pH value and higher than average organic matter content.     

Anthropogenic Soils and Tree Distributions in a Lowland Forest in Bolivia

The distributions of 17 tree species with seeds or fruits that are commonly eaten or otherwise used by humans were studied in reference to anthropogenic soils in a seasonally dry lowland tropical forest in Bolivia. Two types of anthropogenic dark earths (ADEs) were identified: terra preta (TP: darkened with charcoal fragments and with abundant pottery shards) and terra mulata (TM: somewhat darkened but with little or no pottery). In 216 ha, we compared the densities of trees >10 cm dbh of useful species in nine TP patches, three TM patches, and six areas with nonanthropogenic soils (N-ADE). The TP, which covers approximately 20 percent of the sample area, has higher contents of organic matter, extractable P, and extractable Ca than N-ADE soils, as well as higher pH and extractable P than TM. TM has organic matter and Ca contents similar to N-ADE soils but significantly less extractable K. In general, TP has higher nutrient content than surrounding soils, both at the surface (0–10 cm) and deeper in the profile (40–50 cm). Despite these differences in soil fertility and contrary to our expectations, none of the 17 tree species were concentrated on TP perhaps because interactions between local dispersal agents and natural disturbances have masked historical patterns. Alternatively, past inhabitants of the study area may have enriched forests with useful tree species in areas where they were not practicing the intensive soil husbandry that results in ADEs.     

Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal effectiveness in an acid soil amended with fresh organic matter

A greenhouse investigation was undertaken to determine the influence of fresh organic matter on the formation and functioning of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in Leucaena leucocephala grown in an acid aluminum-rich ultisol. In soil not amended with fresh organic matter or lime, plants failed to grow. Mycorrhizal infection level, mycorrhizal effectiveness measured in terms of pinnule P content of L. leucocephala leaves and dry matter yield of the legume increased with increase in fresh organic matter. Although VAM colonization level and dry matter yield of L. leucocephala were significantly higher if the test soil was limed (7.2 cmole OH^–) than if amended with fresh organic matter, the latter was as effective as lime in off-setting the detrimental effect of aluminum on mycorrhizal effectiveness. The lower mycorrhizal colonization level and the lower dry matter yield noted in the soil treated with fresh organic matter appears to be related to the inadequacy of Ca in the soil amended with fresh organic matter. These observations are supported by the low calcium status of soil and plant tissues in the absence of lime. It is concluded that while fresh organic matter, in appropriate amounts, could protect sensitive plants and VAM symbiosis against Al toxicity in acid soils, maximum mycorrhizal inoculation effects are not likely to be attained unless the soils are also amended with Ca.Contribution from Hawaii Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources Journal Series No 3740.     

The effect of level of CaCO3, inoculation and lime pelleting on the nodulation and growth of beans in five acid soils

Summary The effect of level of CaCO₃, inoculation and lime pelleting on the nodulation, dry matter yield and % N content of common bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris) grown in five acid soils was investigated in a greenhouse study. The soils represented a range in pH from 3.9 to 5.1, in exchangeable Al from 0.0 to 4 meq/100 gm, in exchangeable Mn from 0.35 to 2.32 me/100 gm, and in %C from 0.69 to 5.60.Nodule weight decreased with increasing %C and for the soil with highest %C (5.60) no nodules were observed. In soils with low organic matter and low exchangeable Al and Mn, inoculation increased nodule weight, dry matter yield and %N especially at the lowest pH level. Where the seeds were not inoculated, nodule weight and dry matter yield increased with soil pH. No such increases were observed where the seeds were inoculated. There was no apparent advantage in lime pelleting in such soils.In soils with low organic matter content and with substantial amounts of Al and/or Mn, liming increased nodule weight and dry matter yield, and decreased exchangeable Al and/or Mn. Lime pelleting was superior to mere inoculation in increasing nodule weight particularly at low lime rates.In soils with relatively high organic matter content, nodulation was very low or none at all. Low lime rates had little effect on exchangeable Al and Ca and dry matter yield. Higher lime rates, however, decreased exchangeable Al and dry matter yield but increased exchangeable Ca.     

Deaminase activity in arable soils

Deamination of 1,2 diamino-4-nitrobenzene (DANB) was assayed in 22 arable soils. Soil texture, pH, total nitrogen and organic matter content were measured, as were the soils' nitrogen mineralisation potentials. Deaminase activity was strongly correlated with clay content, suggesting an association of deaminase with this soil fraction. There was no relationship between deaminase activity and other soil parameters. Deaminase activity was a poor predictor of nitrogen mineralisation potential. This was due to the difference in accessibility of the amino groups in DANB and of native soil organic matter.     

Phosphorus transformations along a soil/vegetation series of fire-prone, dolomitic, semi-arid shrublands of southern Spain Soil P and Mediterranean shrubland dynamic

Models of P transformations duringpedogenesis and with succession have developed fromstudies in temperate humid regions with neutral toacidic soils. Little is known about P biogeochemistryand P availability in semi-arid Mediterranean-typeshrublands with alkaline soils. We studied Ptransformations in a series of semi-arid, dolomiticshrublands in southeastern Spain, ranging from afrequently-burned, open gorse-scrubland on erodedTypic Xerorthents to a long-unburned, mature garrigueon Entic Haploxerolls. In contrast to the commonpattern of decreasing total P concentrations in thesoil profile with soil development due to leaching,total P increased markedly in this system. This is dueto concentration increases of relatively insolubleelements (P, Al, Fe, Ti) as karstification of parentmaterial (dolomitic marbles with up to 94% Ca-Mgcarbonate) during pedogenesis released bicarbonateand, subsequently, Ca and Mg leached from the profileat a higher rate. The total element to Ti ratiosindicated that the relative ion weathering losssequence, from easily weathered to resistant ions, wasCa>Mg > > > Fe>=Al>Ti, showing that P islost from these shrublands at an intermediate rate. Inone extreme of the series (the open gorse-scrubland),most soil P was Ca bound and organic P concentrations,organic matter content and phosphatase activity werevery low, as predicted by the model of Walker andSyers for the initial stages of soil development.However, this site showed the highest inorganic soilsolution P concentration, low soil P fixation capacityand the lowest foliar N:P ratios. Soils from theintermediate stages of the series showed the highestlabile inorganic and labile organic P concentrations.At the other extreme of the series (the maturegarrigue), a high proportion of soil P was in occludedinorganic and organic forms as predicted by the Walkerand Syers'; model. However, Ca bound P still accountedfor the largest single P fraction. Soils showed veryhigh sorption capacity (and high extractable Fe and Alconcentrations) and released very little P tosolution. Increasing values for NaOH extractable Po,organic matter and phosphatase activity indicate thatcycling of P through organic matter is increasinglyimportant with ecosystem development through theseries.     

紫茎泽兰入侵对土壤酶活性和理化因子的影响

紫茎泽兰是我国危害最严重的外来入侵植物之一,为探明其入侵对土壤肥力的影响,比较研究了紫茎泽兰、云南菅、狗尾草群落和撂荒地下0~30 cm的4层土壤中6种酶活性和12种理化因子。结果表明群落类型和土壤深度对测定的各参数均有显著影响。随土壤深度的增加,多酚氧化酶、碱性磷酸酶、脲酶活性,以及有机质、全氮、全磷、全钙、水解氮、有效磷、速效钾含量和pH值均降低。总的看来,紫茎泽兰群落下碱性磷酸酶和脲酶活性,有机质、全氮、全磷、全钙、水解氮和有效磷含量,以及pH值均较高,全钾含量较低,但速效钾含量并不低,表明紫茎泽兰入侵多年后土壤肥力水平提高,形成了对其生长有利的土壤环境。     

祁连山西水林区土壤阳离子交换量及盐基离子的剖面分布

以祁连山西水林区分布的棕钙土、灰褐土、栗钙土和高山草甸土为对象,研究了阳离子交换量和盐基离子(K+、Na+、Ca2+、Mg2+)的剖面分布规律及其与土壤理化因子的关系。结果表明:土壤阳离子交换量(CEC,介于4.80—48.10 cmol/kg)和盐基总量(TEB,介于4.67—21.34 cmol/kg)随剖面深度的增加逐渐减小,不同土壤类型的大小顺序为:灰褐土>高山草甸土>栗钙土>棕钙土;土壤盐基组成以Ca2+、Mg2+为主(占TEB的比例平均为71.6%、22.9%),K+、Na+所占比例较低(占TEB的比例平均为3.3%、2.2%);棕钙土、灰褐土和栗钙土盐基离子的剖面分布由浅至深呈现:K+≈Ca2+>Na+≈Mg2+,高山草甸土盐基离子则呈现:K+>Na+>Mg2+>Ca2+。不同土壤类型间盐基离子的含量及饱和度随发生层次不同存在较大差异。土壤有机质是CEC的主要贡献因素,粉粒对CEC也有显著的促进作用,而砂粒、CaCO3对CEC有显著抑制作用。土壤生物复盐基作用弱于淋溶作用,造成盐基饱和度较大(BSP,介于44.4%—97.2%),并随剖面深度的增加逐渐增大。相关性分析表明,土壤交换性Na+、Mg2+的含量及饱和度均呈极显著正相关,交换性Na+、Mg2+饱和度与CaCO3含量呈极显著正相关;pH值与BSP呈极显著正相关;土壤速效P含量与CEC呈极显著正相关,速效K含量与交换性K+含量呈极显著正相关。     

Soil analysis by means of a 1:2 volume extract

Summary The use of the 1:5 weight extract in soil analysis presents some difficulties. Conductivity determinations as a means of assessing the salt status are unreliable for those soils containing appreciable amounts of gypsum, and it is also desirable that the soil organic matter content be known when interpreting the analytical data. These objections are largely overcome by using saturation extracts. The principal drawback with this method is, however, its laborious procedure. In an investigation at the Experiment Station at Naaldwijk very good results were obtained using an extract made by adding sufficient field-moist soil to two parts of water until the total volume had increased by one part (1:2 volume extract). The analytical data for conductivity, chloride, nitrogen, phosphate, potassium and magnesium in this extract were very closely related to data obtained by the saturation extract. The correlation coefficientes being between 0.943 and 0.982. The weight ratio water: soil of the 1:2 volume extract was highly correlated with the organic matter content. In soils low in organic matter the ratio was about 1:1, and with very peaty soils (40 per cent organic matter) about 3 1/2:1. For precise preparation of the 1:2 volume extract it is necessary to use soil samples at field capacity. A visual check on this condition appeared to be possible.     

The Contrasting Effects of Aspen and Jack Pine on Soil Nutritional Properties Depend on Parent Material

Abstract The influence of forest stand composition on soil was investigated by comparing the forest floor (FH) and upper mineral soil (0–20 cm) nutritional properties of jack pine and aspen stands on two soil types of contrasting fertility, a coarse-textured and a fine-textured deposit, in a replicated design. The studied tree species are pioneers that are found after major disturbances in the southern boreal forest of western Quebec and that differ in their nutrient requirements but not in their growth rate. Soil organic matter as well as total and available N, P, K, Ca, Mg contents were determined and the relationships with nutrient accumulation in tree biomass were studied. On both soil types a greater total and available nutrient accumulation in the forest floor layer was observed in aspen than in jack pine whereas such differences between stand types could not be detected in the mineral soil. Differences in FH nutrient content between stand types were larger on coarse deposits than on fine-textured soils. These results support the hypothesis that tree species with greater nutrient requirements cause an enrichment of the surface soil at least in the short term. The modulation of tree species effect by soil type was contrary to the pattern observed in other studies since a greater expression of this effect was observed on poorer soils. Differences in soil nutrient content were related to levels of organic matter accumulation.