Dehydrogenase activity in topsoil at windthrow plots in Tatra National Park

Abstract

The aim of the study was to compare the effect of windthrow treatments established after the windstorm in 2004 on the activity of enzyme dehydrogenase (DHA) in forest topsoils. We also focused on the effect of the recent windthrow (May 2014) on the DHA in topsoil. Soil samples were collected in July 2014 from four sites in the Tatra National Park: EXT - tree trunks and wood debris extracted after the windstorm in 2004, NEX - area left for self-regeneration after the windstorm in 2004, REX - tree trunks and wood debris extracted after the windstorm (May 2014), REN - Norway spruce stand set as a control plot. We measured pH, dry weight %, soil organic matter (SOM), carbon content in microbial biomass (Cblo) and DHA. Dehydrogenase activity at studied plots was the lowest at the EXT plot and the highest values were measured at the REN plot. DHA at NEX was similar to REN suggesting comparable ecological conditions at these plots comparing to EXT. Carbon content in microbial biomass at plots reflected intensity of dehydrogenase activity in sequence EXT < REX < NEX < REN.

Keywords

• topsoil
• dehydrogenase activity
• soil organic matter
• windthrow
• tatra national park