Changes in soil carbon pools and components induced by replacing secondary evergreen broadleaf forest with Moso bamboo plantations in subtropical China

Abstract

Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) is widely distributed in southern China, and is one of the fastest growing plants worldwide; however, information remains limited on the impact of converting secondary broad-leaved evergreen forests to Moso bamboo plantations, and how the soil organic carbon (SOC) pool and its chemical composition should be managed subsequently. To elucidate these effects, three representative areas were chosen, all with very similar site conditions. In each area, four comparable stands were selected; namely, undisturbed (M0), extensively managed (M1), and intensively managed (M2) stands in each Moso bamboo plantation, and a secondary broad-leaved evergreen forest (CK). Soil samples were collected and examined from depths of 0–20 and 20–40 cm in all 12 stands. The results showed that, SOC and mineral-associated organic matter C (MOM-C) stocks in 0–40 cm soil depths were significantly higher in M0 and M1 than in CK; however, these two parameters were significantly lower in M2. M0 and M1 showed a significant decline in the ratio of microbial biomass C (MBC) to total organic C (TOC), hot-water-extractable organic C (DOC) to TOC, and the C mineralization rate. However, M2 showed a significant increase compared to CK for all of these parameters. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that land-use conversion also changed SOC chemical composition. Compared with CK and M2, M0 and M1 showed lower relative content of polysaccharides and higher content of recalcitrant compounds and soil hydrophobicity. Aliphatic and aromatic compounds were positively correlated with accumulated C sequestration in all fractions but negatively correlated with microbial activity in both soil layers; thus, chemical protection mechanism was important for stabilizing the soil in M0 and M1. Overall, Moso bamboo plantations with management strategies M0 and M1 could stabilize more C through promoting the formation of stable organic-mineral complexes and the accumulation of resistant organic components, showing much higher potential in terms of soil C sequestration than M2.