Variability of soil physical, chemical and biological properties in developmental stages of beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) forest of Asalem, Gilan Province, Iran

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student of Silviculture and Forest Ecology, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lorestan University, Khorram Abad, Iran

2 Associate Prof., Department of Forestry, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lorestan University, Khorram Abad, Iran

3 Assistant Prof., Research Division of Natural Resources, Gilan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Rasht, Iran

Abstract

     This study aimed at evaluating the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil in the developmental stages of oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) forest in Asalem-Guilan region. Three 1-hectare plots (100 ×100 m2) with different stages of development including initial, optimal and decay were selected. Soil sampling was carried out at a depth of 0-20 cm in the four corners of the five sub-plots of 400 m2 each, and the samples (n = 60) were analyzed in the laboratory. The results showed significant difference of soil texture amongst the three developmental stages of beech forest. The developmental stages of beech forest were significantly different in terms of available potassium, organic carbon content, C/N, iron, manganese, copper and zinc. The highest mean respiration rate, microbial biomass carbon and phosphorus, MBC/MBN ratio and MBP/MBN ratio were observed in the decay stage. These results indicated that decay stage is more favorable in terms of microorganism activity. The results also showed that biological and microbial properties are more appropriate indices for revealing differences in developmental stages. The results generally revealed that developmental stages of beech stand with respect to age and structural conditions cause changes in soil physical, chemical and biological characteristics. The results in the control compartment could be used as a basis in other forest stands for silvicultural and rehabilitation measures.

Keywords

References

- Akhavan, R., Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., Hassani, M. and Parhizkar, P., 2010. Spatial patterns in untouched beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) stands over forest development stages in Kelardasht region of Iran. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 18(2): 322-336 (In Persian).
- Aliasgharzad, N., 2010. Laboratory Methods in Soil Biology (translation). Published by Tabriz University, Tabriz, 522p (In Persian).
- Alizadeh, T., Matinizadeh, M., Salehi, A. and Taheri Abkenar, K., 2016. Alteration of phosphatase activity and physiochemical properties of soil in different development stages in beech stand (case study: Rezvanshahr). Journal of Forest and Wood Products (Iranian Journal of Natural Resources), 69(3): 453-460 (In Persian).
- Amanzadeh, B., 2015. Investigation on structure, natural stand development stages and ecological characteristics of conopy gaps in mixed stands of Nav forests, Asalem. Ph.D. thesis, Faculty of Natural Resources, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, 208p (In Persian).
- Andrianarisoa, K.S., Zeller, B., Dupouey, J.L. and Dambrine, E., 2009. Comparing indicators of N status of 50 beech stands (Fagus sylvatica L.) in northeastern France. Forest Ecology and Management, 257(11): 2241-2253.
- Carrick, P.J. and Krüger, R., 2007. Restoring degraded landscapes in lowland Namaqualand: Lessons from the mining experience and from regional ecological dynamics. Journal of Arid Environments, 70(4): 767-781.
- Chandra, L.R., Gupta, S., Pande, V. and Singh, N., 2016. Impact of forest vegetation on soil characteristics: a correlation between soil biological and physico-chemical properties. 3 Biotech, 6(2): 188.
- Chen, L.C., Wang, S.L. and Wang, Q.K., 2016. Ecosystem carbon stocks in a forest chronosequence in Hunan Province, South China. Plant and Soil, 409(1-2): 217-228.
- Delfan Abazari, B., Sagheb-Talebi, Kh. and Namiranian, M., 2004. Development stages and dynamic of undisturbed oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) stands in Kelardasht region (Iran). Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 12(3): 307-326 (In Persian).
- Deng, L., Wang, K.B., Chen, M.L., Shangguan, Z.P. and Sweeney, S., 2013. Soil organic carbon storage capacity positively related to forest succession on the Loess Plateau, China. Catena, 110: 1-7.
- Fernández-Delgado Juárez, M., Gómez-Brandón, M., Knapp, A., Stöhr, D. and Insam, H., 2015. Chemical and microbiological properties of alpine forest soils: Effects of pelletized ashes in a short-term trial. Forest Ecology and Management, 357: 42-49.
- Franklin, J.F., Spies, T.A., Van Pelt, R., Carey, A.B., Thornburgh, D.A., Berg, D.R., … and Chen, J., 2002. Disturbances and structural development of natural forest ecosystems with silvicultural implications, using Douglas-fir forests as an example. Forest Ecology and Management, 155(1-3): 399-423.
- Franzaring, J., Holz, I., Zipperle, J. and Fangmeier, A., 2010. Twenty years of biological monitoring of element concentrations in permanent forest and grassland plots in Baden-Württemberg (SW Germany). Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 17(1): 4-12.
- Ghazanshahi, J., 2006. Soil and Plant Analysis (translation). Ayizh Publications, Tehran, 272p (In Persian).
- Goodell, L. and Faber-Langendoen, D., 2007. Development of stand structural stage indices to characterize forest condition in Upstate New York. Forest Ecology and Management, 249(3): 158-170.
- Grüneberg, E., Schöning, I., Hessenmöller, D., Schulze, E.D. and Weisser, W.W., 2013. Organic layer and clay content control soil organic carbon stocks in density fractions of differently managed German beech forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 303: 1-10.
- Huber, M.O., 2011. Statistical models to identify stand development stages by means of stand characteristics. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 41(1): 111-123.
- Jia, G.M., Liu, B.R., Wang, G. and Zhang, B., 2010. The microbial biomass and activity in soil with shrub (Caragana korshinskii K.) plantation in the semi-arid loess plateau in China. European Journal of Soil Biology, 46(1): 6-10.
- Jiang, J.P., Xiong, Y.C., Jiang, H.M., Ye, D.Y., Song, Y.J. and Li, F.M., 2009. Soil microbial activity during secondary vegetation succession in semiarid abandoned lands of Loess Plateau. Pedosphere, 19(6): 735-747.
- Korpel', Š., 1995. Die Urwälder der Westkarpaten. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, 310p (In German).
- Marvie Mohadjer, M.R., 2011. Silviculture. University of Tehran Press, Tehran, 418p (In Persian).
- Mataji, A. and Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., 2007. Development stages and dynamic of two oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) communities at natural forests of Kheirudkenar-Noshahr. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 15(4): 398-416 (In Persian).
- Mölder, A., Bernhardt-Römermann, M. and Schmidt, W., 2008. Herb-layer diversity in deciduous forests: raised by tree richness or beaten by beech?. Forest Ecology and Management, 256(3): 272-281.
- Moradi, J., Mudrák, O., Kukla, J., Vicentini, F., Šimáčková, H. and Frouz, J., 2017. Variations in soil chemical properties, microbial biomass, and faunal populations as related to plant functional traits, patch types, and successional stages at Sokolov post-mining site - A case study. European Journal of Soil Biology, 83: 58-64.
- Rahmani, A., Teimouri, M., Matinizade, M., Kalafi, Y. and Amanzade, B., 2016. Evaluation of soil and leaves nutrients concentration of beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) in different development stages of a beech stand (Case study: Raze forest, Guilan). Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 24(2): 323-331 (In Persian).
- Resaneh, Y., Moshtagh Kahnamoui, M.H. and Salehi, P., 2000. Quantitative and qualitative study of north forests of Iran. Proceedings of National Conference on Management of Northern Iranian Forests and Sustainable Development. Ramsar, Iran, 6-7 Sep. 2000: 55-79 (In Persian).
- Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., 2014. Appropriate characteristics of beech stands for application of close to nature silviculture (selection system). Final Report of Research Project, Published by Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Tehran, 120p (In Persian).
- Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., Delfan Abazari, B. and Namiranian, M., 2005. Regeneration process in natural uneven-aged Caspian beech forests of Iran. Swiss Forestry Journal, 156(12): 477-480.
- Sariyildiz, T., Anderson, J.M. and Kucuk, M., 2005. Effects of tree species and topography on soil chemistry, litter quality, and decomposition in Northeast Turkey. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 37(9): 1695-1706.
- Spohn, M. and Chodak, M., 2015. Microbial respiration per unit biomass increases with carbon-to-nutrient ratios in forest soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 81: 128-133.
- Teixeira, H.M., Cardoso, I.M., Bianchi, F.J.J.A., da Cruz Silva, A., Jamme, D. and Peña-Claros, M., 2020. Linking vegetation and soil functions during secondary forest succession in the Atlantic forest. Forest Ecology and Management, 457: 117696.
- Thoms, C., Gattinger, A., Jacob, M., Thomas, F.M. and Gleixner, G., 2010. Direct and indirect effects of tree diversity drive soil microbial diversity in temperate deciduous forest. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 42(9): 1558-1565.
- van Hall, R.L., Cammeraat, L.H., Keesstra, S.D. and Zorn, M., 2017. Impact of secondary vegetation succession on soil quality in a humid Mediterranean landscape. Catena, 149(3): 836-843.
- Vesterdal, L., Clarke, N., Sigurdsson, B.D. and Gundersen, P., 2013. Do tree species influence soil carbon stocks in temperate and boreal forests?. Forest Ecology and Management, 309: 4-18.
- Wang, X., Jiang, Y., Jia, B., Wang, F. and Zhou, G., 2010. Comparison of soil respiration among three temperate forests in Changbai Mountains, China. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 40(4): 788-795.
- Zenner, E.K., Peck, J.E. and Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., 2019. Patchiness in old-growth oriental beech forests across development stages at multiple neighborhood scales. European Journal of Forest Research, 138(4): 739-752.
- Zenner, E.K., Sagheb-Talebi, Kh., Akhavan, R. and Peck, J.E., 2015. Integration of small-scale canopy dynamics smoothes live-tree structural complexity across development stages in old-growth Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) forests at the multi-gap scale. Forest Ecology and Management, 335: 26-36.
- Zhao, D., Li, F. and Wang, R., 2012. The effects of different urban land use patterns on soil microbial biomass nitrogen and enzyme activities in urban area of Beijing, China. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 32(3): 144-149
- Zhao, X., Wang, Q. and Kakubari, Y., 2009. Stand-scale spatial patterns of soil microbial biomass in natural cold-temperate beech forests along an elevation gradient. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 41(7): 1466-1474.
- Zhu, H., He, X., Wang, K., Su, Y. and Wu, J., 2012. Interactions of vegetation succession, soil bio-chemical properties and microbial communities in a Karst ecosystem. European Journal of Soil Biology, 51: 1-7.
Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research
Volume 28, Issue 2 - Serial Number 80
September 2020
Pages 124-136

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics