Forest gap regulates soil nematode community through understory plant diversity and soil pH
Haifeng Yin,
Yu Su,
Jie Zeng,
Xianwei Li,
Chuan Fan,
Jing-Zhong Lu,
Zheng Zhou,
Anwei Yu,
Simin Wang,
Stefan Scheu,
Valentyna Krashevska
Affiliations
Haifeng Yin
College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China; Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, 510520 Guangzhou, China; J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
Yu Su
Guangzhou Institute of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, 510405 Guangzhou, China
Jie Zeng
Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, 510520 Guangzhou, China
Xianwei Li
College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China; Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Prairie Bureau on Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Security in the Upper Reaches of Yangtze River, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China; Corresponding author at: No.211 Huimin Road, College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China.
Chuan Fan
College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China; Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Prairie Bureau on Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Security in the Upper Reaches of Yangtze River, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China
Jing-Zhong Lu
J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
Zheng Zhou
J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
Anwei Yu
College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China
Simin Wang
J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
Stefan Scheu
J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany; Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
Valentyna Krashevska
J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany; Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Functional Environmental Genomics, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
Soil biodiversity and the structure of soil animal communities are important foundations for forest ecosystem functions. Forest gap formation is an important forest management practice used to transform monocultures into mixed forests. However, whether and how gap size and age affect soil biodiversity and modify nematode communities remains limited. We manipulated gap size (100, 200, and 400 m2) in Pinus massoniana plantations and studied the communities of soil nematodes, bacteria, fungi, and understory plants two and four years after gap formation. Compared to the no-gap treatment, soil nematode abundance across forest gaps increased by a factor of 1.40, which was largely attributed to the increase in herbivorous nematodes as the abundance and diversity of understory plants increased. The increased abundance of soil nematodes in forest gaps was also associated with increased soil pH presumably related to reduced input of pine needles. Furthermore, the abundance (−5.3 %) and diversity (−25.1 %) of soil nematodes decreased with gap age, presumably because of increased soil temperature and decreased soil moisture in the four- compared to the two-year-old gaps. In contrast to nematodes, the abundance and diversity of soil bacteria (21.8 % and 7.1 %) and fungi (10.5 % and 10.0 %) increased significantly with gap age. Overall, forest gaps increased the diversity of understory plants and soil biota, and changed the community and functional group structure of soil nematodes. These results provide guidelines for fostering soil biodiversity and maintaining soil functioning when transforming coniferous forests into mixed forests.
