Effects of Chinese fir plantations with different densities on understory vegetation and soil microbial community structure

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2020.0158

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims The aim of the present study was to investigate the responses of understory vegetation to soil nutrients and bacterial communities.
Methods This study investigated the understory vegetation biomasses and species composition as well as soil physical and chemical properties in 17-year-old Chinese fir plantations with three densities (high-density (KH), medium-density (KM), and low-density (KL)) in Kaihua, Zhejiang. The changes of bacterial community structures were analyzed via 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing techniques.
Important findings The result showed that the total above-ground biomass of the understory vegetation ranged from 0.10 to 2.10 t·hm^-2 and the dominant plant species varied in three Chinese fir plantations. The soil pH and available phosphorus content were significantly different between high-density and low-density forest stands. Correlation analysis showed that soil pH was positively correlated with the biomass of herbs, shrubs and the total of understory vegetation, while the content of soil organic matter was just positively related with the last two factors, and the available potassium content was only affected by the biomass of shrub. Based on the analysis of the soil microbial community, the Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Chloroflexi were the dominant phyla in the three Chinese fir plantations. Redundancy analysis showed that soil pH, available nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium contents played a crucial role in regulating the soil bacterial community structures. Gp2, Gp1, Gp3 and Gp6 were the dominant subgroups of Acidobacteria, accounting for 51.32%- 57.38% of the Acidobacteria. With the decline of the Chinese fir density, the biomass of understory vegetation and the proportion of Gp1 increased, while the proportion of Gp2 and Gp6 decreased and the relative abundance of Gp6 was negatively correlated with soil pH. Obviously, the moderate reduction in stand density of pure Chinese fir forests was beneficial in the growth of understory vegetation and in maintaining a reasonable bacterial community structure, which helps to maintain the soil fertility of the Chinese fir forests and to achieve sustainable management in the long run.

Key words: Chinese fir, understory vegetation, biomass, soil physical and chemical properties, bacteria, Acidobacteria

DING Kai, ZHANG Yu-Ting, ZHANG Jun-Hong, CHAI Xiong, ZHOU Shi-Shui, TONG Zai-Kang. Effects of Chinese fir plantations with different densities on understory vegetation and soil microbial community structure[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2021, 45(1): 62-73.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2020.0158

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2021/V45/I1/62

Figures/Tables 16

References 50

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类型 Type	林分密度 Stand density (plant·hm^-2)	平均胸径 Average DBH (cm)	平均树高 Average tree height (m)	郁闭度 Canopy density
KH	1 783.33 ± 76.38 ^a	14.3 ± 2.55 ^b	12.8 ± 0.69 ^c	0.96 ± 0.02 ^a
KM	1 616.67 ± 52.65 ^b	15.6 ± 1.40 ^b	14.4 ± 1.36 ^b	0.84 ± 0.02 ^b
KL	1 436.25 ± 28.87 ^c	17.4 ± 0.95 ^a	16.3 ± 0.31 ^a	0.78 ± 0.01 ^c

类型 Type	林分密度 Stand density (plant·hm^-2)	平均胸径 Average DBH (cm)	平均树高 Average tree height (m)	郁闭度 Canopy density
KH	1 783.33 ± 76.38 ^a	14.3 ± 2.55 ^b	12.8 ± 0.69 ^c	0.96 ± 0.02 ^a
KM	1 616.67 ± 52.65 ^b	15.6 ± 1.40 ^b	14.4 ± 1.36 ^b	0.84 ± 0.02 ^b
KL	1 436.25 ± 28.87 ^c	17.4 ± 0.95 ^a	16.3 ± 0.31 ^a	0.78 ± 0.01 ^c

类型 Type		林下植被种类 Understory vegetation type
KH		檵木、豆腐柴、短尾越桔、狗脊 Loropetalum chinense, Premna microphylla, Vaccinium carlesii, Woodwardia japonica
KM		檵木、五节芒、黄瑞木、菝葜、狗脊、海金沙、三脉紫菀 L. chinense, Miscanthus floridulus, Adinandra millettii, Smilax china, W. japonica, Lygodium japonicum, Aster trinervius subsp.ageratoides
KL		檵木、芒萁、狗脊、渐尖毛蕨、淡竹叶、多花黄精、烟管头草、假福王草、大叶白纸扇、大青、寒莓、华紫珠、楤木 Loropetalum chinense, Dicranopteris pedata, W. japonica, Cyclosorus acuminatus, Lophatherum gracile, Polygonatum cyrtonema, Carpesium cernuum, Paraprenanthes sororia, Mussaenda shikokiana, Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum, Rubus buergeri, Callicarpa cathayana, Aralia chinensis

类型 Type		林下植被种类 Understory vegetation type
KH		檵木、豆腐柴、短尾越桔、狗脊 Loropetalum chinense, Premna microphylla, Vaccinium carlesii, Woodwardia japonica
KM		檵木、五节芒、黄瑞木、菝葜、狗脊、海金沙、三脉紫菀 L. chinense, Miscanthus floridulus, Adinandra millettii, Smilax china, W. japonica, Lygodium japonicum, Aster trinervius subsp.ageratoides
KL		檵木、芒萁、狗脊、渐尖毛蕨、淡竹叶、多花黄精、烟管头草、假福王草、大叶白纸扇、大青、寒莓、华紫珠、楤木 Loropetalum chinense, Dicranopteris pedata, W. japonica, Cyclosorus acuminatus, Lophatherum gracile, Polygonatum cyrtonema, Carpesium cernuum, Paraprenanthes sororia, Mussaenda shikokiana, Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum, Rubus buergeri, Callicarpa cathayana, Aralia chinensis

类型 Type	优势植物种类 Dominate species	地上部分生物量 Aboveground biomass (t·hm^-2)		总计 Total (t·hm^-2)
类型 Type	优势植物种类 Dominate species	灌木层 Shrub layer	草本层 Herb layer	总计 Total (t·hm^-2)
KH	檵木 Loropetalum chinense	0.09 ± 0.15 ^b	0.01 ± 0.02 ^b	0.10 ± 0.17 ^b
KM	檵木、五节芒 L. chinense, Miscanthus floridulus	0.26 ± 0.02 ^b	0.15 ± 0.02 ^b	0.40 ± 0.07 ^b
KL	檵木、芒萁、狗脊、渐尖毛蕨 L. chinense, Dicranopteris pedata, Woodwardia japonica, Cyclosorus acuminatus	0.87 ± 0.15 ^a	1.23 ± 0.15 ^a	2.10 ± 0.57 ^a