The effect of canopy combination in over story on nutrient Contentand microbial indices of soil in Korkoroud forests of Noshahr

Abstract

The present study aimed to assess the effect of canopy combination of beech trees and mixed species (beech-hornbeam-maple, beech-hornbeam, beech-maple and pure beech) on microbial indices and soil nutrient stockscharacteristics in Mazandaran Province, north of Iran. Leaf litter sampling was done by using litter traps and soil samples (30 × 30 × 30 cm) were taken in each of the stands with five replicaties under the canopy of beech trees. Characteristics of litter (organic carbon, total nitrogen, carbon to nitrogen ratio, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium) were measured. The physical, chemical, biochemical and microbial properties of soil (bulk density, Sand, silt, clay, pH, EC, organic carbon, total nitrogen, carbon to nitrogen ratio, sequestration of organic carbon, total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium, ammonium, nitrate, microbial respiration, metabolic and microbial quotient) were also investigated. The results showed that beech-hornbeam-maple stand had the highest pH, nitrogen sequestration, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, microbial biomass of carbon and nitrogen, and microbial respiration. Also, the highest amount of soil carbon, carbon to nitrogen ratio, carbon sequestration, metabolic and microbial quotients were allocated to pur beech stands. In addition, the highest ammonium and nitrate levels were also observed in beech- maple and beech-hornbeam stands. According to the present study, beech-hornbeam- maple stand improved the litter quality, nutrient storageand microbial indicators of the soil, followed by beech-hornbeam, beech- maple and pure beech stands. The practical results of this research indicate the positive effects of tree species diversity on improvement of soil qualitaty and health.

Keywords

• characteristics of soil and litter
• microbial biomass
• microbial respiration
• tree composition