Research Articles

Effects of restoration approaches on forest soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry in eastern Northeast China

  • WANG Yan ,
  • ZHANG Quan-Zhi ,
  • WANG Chuan-Kuan ,
  • GUO Wan-Gui ,
  • LIN Jia-Wei
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  • Center for Ecological Research, Northeast Forestry University, Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Harbin 150040, China
* ZHANG Quan-Zhi(qzzhang@nefu.edu.cn)

Received date: 2023-08-14

  Accepted date: 2024-02-07

  Online published: 2024-02-28

Supported by

National Key R&D Program of China(2021YFD2200401);National Natural Science Foundation of China(32071748)

Abstract

Aims Soil ecological stoichiometry is an important indicator of soil fertility and plant nutrient status. Investigating impacts of restoration approaches on forest soil ecological stoichiometry characteristics provides a theoretical foundation and data support for accurately assessing responses of the ecosystem material cycling processes to disturbance and restoration efforts.
Methods This study compared the forest soil stoichiometry from two forest restoration approaches, i.e., artificial (RG) and natural regenerations (TR) that included three coniferous or broadleaf mixed stands and four deciduous broadleaf stands, respectively, in eastern Northeast China. The carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) contents of both soil by horizons, litterfall and litter were determined, as well as the soil properties such as pH and bulk density.
Important findings The results showed that soil C, N, and P contents decreased with the soil depth in the RG and TR. The soil C, N and P contents of the O (organic) horizon varied from 53.78 to 90.59 g·kg-1, 5.02 to 7.83 g·kg-1, and 0.75 to 0.91 g·kg-1 in all the stands, respectively. The soil C and N contents of the RG were significantly lower than those of the TR in the O horizon, while the soil C, N and P contents of the RG were higher than those of the TR in the A (humus) and B (illuvial) horizons. The soil C density of the O horizon in the RG was significantly lower than that in the TR. The C:N, C:P, and N:P varied from 10.08 to 12.53, 43.97 to 135.52, and 4.56 to 11.64 in all the stands, respectively. The C:N of the O horizon had no significant difference between RG and TR, but the C:P and N:P of the O and A horizons in the RG were significantly lower than those in the TR. There was a significant positive correlation between C and N contents in all soil horizons (R2 ranged from 0.40 to 0.76). Except for C:N, restoration approaches, soil horizons and their interaction had significant effects on the content, density and stoichiometry of C, N and P in soil. Soil bulk density and litterfall C content significantly affected soil C, N and P contents. These findings suggest that increasing the proportion of coniferous species by reforestation reduced the content of C and N in the topsoil, which decreased the carbon sequestration accordingly. However, restoration approaches had no significant effect on the C:N, featuring a relatively stable carbon and nitrogen stoichiometry.

Cite this article

WANG Yan , ZHANG Quan-Zhi , WANG Chuan-Kuan , GUO Wan-Gui , LIN Jia-Wei . Effects of restoration approaches on forest soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry in eastern Northeast China[J]. Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology, 2024 , 48(7) : 943 -954 . DOI: 10.17521/cjpe.2023.0234

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