Effect of forest canopy gap on soil enzyme activity, dissolved organic matter and organic acids

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 Assistant Prof., Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran

2 Assistant Prof., College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran

Abstract

Canopy gaps play an important role in the dynamics of temperate forests. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of canopy gaps area on soil biochemical activities in Khanikan region of Nowshahr. In this study, 32 canopy gaps with small (195-205 m2), medium (397-406 m2), large (593-604 m2) and very large (792-807 m2) areas, 8 replications for each, were considered. Five points were selected within each canopy gap; soil samples were taken and mixed due to transferring to laboratory for analysis of physico-chemical, biological and biochemical properties. According to findings, whole of soil physico-chemical (except for silt content) and biological properties were significantly affected by different canopy gaps areas. The highest urease activity was found under medium and small (22.97 and 22.54 µg NH4+–N g−1 2 h−1) canopy gap areas, respectively. Medium gaps showed the most values of acid phosphatase (633.75 µg PNP g−1 h−1), arylsulfatase (153.38 µg PNP g−1 h−1) and invertase (273.25 µg Glucose g1 3 h−1). Greater amounts of dissolved organic carbon (94.73 mg/kg) and dissolved organic nitrogen (34.66 mg/kg) were found under very large and medium canopy gap areas, respectively. Creation of very large canopy gaps was due to increasing of fulvic (454.62 mg/100g) and humic (888.88 mg/100g) acids in the studied forest ecosystem. As a general conclusion, based on forest sustainable management, it is proposed to avoiding of large and very large canopy gaps creation. 

Keywords


- Baldrian, P., Merhautova, V., Cajthaml, T., Petrankova, M. and Snajdar, J., 2010. Small-scale disturbance of extracellular enzymes, fungal, and bacterial biomass in Quercus petraea forest topsoil. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 46: 717-726.
- Bauhus, J., Vor, T., Bartsch, N. and Cowling, A., 2004. The effects of gaps and liming on forest floor decomposition and soil C and N dynamics in a Fagus sylvatica forest. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 34: 509-518.
- Coates, K.D., 2002. Tree recruitment in gaps of various size, clearcuts and undisturbed mixed forest of interior of British Columbia (Canada). Forest Ecology and Management, 155: 387-398.
- Forghani, A., 2004. Study of biochemical changes and properties fulvic and humic acid in soil treated with different organic materials. Proceedings of 8th Iranian Soil Science Congress, Iran, 27-29 Aug. 2004: 78-79 (In Persian).
- Frey, S.D., Knorr, M., Parrent, J.L. and Simpson, R.T., 2004. Chronic nitrogen enrichment affects the structure and function of the microbial community in temperate hardwood and pine forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 196: 159-171.
- Galhidy, L., Mihok, B., Hagyo, A., Rajkai, K. and Standovar, T., 2006. Effects of gap size and associated changes in light and soil moisture on the under story vegetation of a Hungarian beech forest. Plant Ecology, 183: 133-145.
- Ghazanshahi, J., 2006. Soil and Plant Analysis. Homa Publication, Tehran, 272p (In Persian).
- Gregorich, E.G., Beare, M.H., Stoklas, U. and St-Georges, P., 2003. Biodegradability of soluble organic matter in maize-cropped soils. Geoderma, 113: 237-252.
- Huang, M., Duan, R., Wang, S., Wang, Z. and Fan, W., 2016. Species presence frequency and diversity in different patch types along an altitudinal gradient: Larix chinensis Beissn in Qinling Mountains (China). Peer Journal 4:e1803
- Kalbitz, K., Solinger, S., Park, J.H., Michalzik, B. and Matzner, B., 2000. Controls on the dynamics of dissolved organic matter in soils: a review. Soil Science, 165: 277-304.
- Kayang, H., 2001. Fungal and bacterial enzyme activities in Alnus nepalensis D. Don. European Journal of Soil Biology, 37: 175-180.
- Kooch, Y., 2012. Soil variability related to pit and mound, canopy cover and individual trees in a Hyrcanian oriental beech stand. Ph.D. thesis, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, 203p (In Persian).
- Kooch, Y., Jalilvand, H., Bahmanyar, M.A. and Pormajidian, M.R., 2009. Differentiation of ecosystem units of Caspian lowland forests and its relation with some soil characteristics. Journal of Forest and Wood Products (Iranian Journal of Natural Resources), 62: 93-107 (In Persian).
- Lin, N., Bartsch, N., Heinrichs, S. and Vor, T., 2015. Long-term effects of gap creation and lime application on element input and output in a European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 61: 123-141.
- Muscolo, A., Mallamaci, C., Sidari, M. and Mercurio, R., 2011. Effects of gap size and soil chemical propeirties on the natural regeneration in Black pine (Pinus nigra Arn.) stands. Tree and Forestry Science and Biotechnology, 5: 65-71.
- Muscolo, A., Sidari, M. and Mercurio, R., 2007. Influence of gap size on organic matter decomposition, microbial biomass and nutrient cycle in Calabrian pine (Pinus laricio, Poiret) stands. Forest Ecology and Management, 242: 412-418.
- Nachtergale, L., Ghekiere, K., Schrijver, A.D., Muys, B., Lussaert, S. and Lust, N., 2002. Earthworm biomass and species diversity in wind throw sites of a temperate lowland forest. Pedobiologia, 46: 440-451.
- Ni, X., Yang, W., Tan, B., He, J., Xu, L., Li, H. and Wu, F., 2015. Accelerated foliar litter humification in forest gaps: Dual feedbacks of carbon sequestration during winter and the growing season in an alpine forest. Geoderma, 241: 136-144.
- Ni, X., Yang, W., Tan, B., Li, H., He, J., Xu, L. and Wua, F., 2016. Forest gaps slow the sequestration of soil organic matter: A humification experiment with six foliar litters in an alpine forest. Science Reports 6, No 19744, 12p.
- Page, L.M. and Cameron, A.D., 2006: Regeneration dynamics of Sitka spruce in artificially created forest gaps. Forest Ecology and Management, 221: 260-266.
- Pelster, D.E., Kolka, R.K. and Prepas, E.E., 2009. Overstory vegetation influence nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon flux from the atmosphere to the forest floor: Boreal Plain, Canada. Forest Ecology and Management, 259: 210-219.
- Raiesi, F. and Beheshti, A., 2014. Soil specific enzyme activity shows more clearly soil responses to paddy rice cultivation than absolute enzyme activity in primary forests of northwest Iran. Applied Soil Ecology, 75: 63-70.
- Ritter, E., Starr, M. and Vesterdal, L., 2005. Losses of nitrate from gaps of different sizes in a managed beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 35: 308-319.
- Samadzadeh, B., Kooch, Y. and Hosseini, S.M., 2017. The effect of tree covers on topsoil biological indices in a plain forest ecosystem. Journal of Water and Soil Conservation, 23: 105-121 (In Persian).
- Scahrenbroch, B.C. and Bockheim, J.G., 2008. The effects of gap disturbance on nitrogen cycling and retention in late- successional northern hardwood-hemlock forests. Biogeochemistry, 87: 231-245.
- Schinner, F. and Mersi, W., 1990. Xylanase-, CM-cellulase- and invertase activity insoils: an improved method. Soil Biology Biochemistry, 22: 511-515.
- Seighalani, Sh., Ramazanpoor, H. and Kahneh, H., 2015. The effect of Taxadium, Alnus and Poplus on soil chemical in forest areas, Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh region. Iranian Journal of Soil Researches, 29: 233-241 (In Persian).
- Sinsabaugh, R.L., Lauber, C.L. and Weintraub, M.N., 2008. Stoichiometry of soil enzyme activity at global scale. Ecology Letter, 11: 1252-1264.
- Xu, J., Xue, L. and Su, Z. 2016. Impacts of forest gaps on soil properties after a severe ice storm in a Cunninghamia lanceolata stand. Pedosphere, 26: 408-416.
- Yang, Y., Geng, Y., Zhou, H., Zhao, G. and Wang, L., 2017. Effects of gaps in the forest canopy on soil microbial communities and enzyme activity in a Chinese pine forest. Pedobiologia, 61:51-60.