Abstract
BackgroundNatural afforestation of former agricultural lands with alder species is common in Europe. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation by actinomycetes associated with alder species has been widely used for improvement of soil properties of abandoned agricultural lands, but relatively little is known of the interactions of these processes with soil type and chemical composition. We conducted a space-for time study with soil sampling under and outside grey alder tree canopies on two different soil groups to explore effects of colonisation of former agricultural lands by alder on soil properties.ResultsThe results were analysed using analysis of variance. During the first 25 years after afforestation of former agricultural lands there was a significant increase in content of Ctot, Ntot, K+, Fe3+, Mn2+ and available P in the topsoil (0–10 cm and 11–20 cm) of Dystric Arenosols soils, which are deficient in organic matter. Such trends were not evident in organic matter rich Endostagnic Umbrisols soils, in which exchangeable K+ concentration decreased and exchangeable Fe3+ and Al3+ concentration increased.ConclusionsThe results show that the effects of grey alder on soil chemical properties depend on initial soil properties. The invasion of agricultural land by grey alder leads to spatial variability of soil chemical properties creating a mosaic pattern.
Highlights
Natural afforestation of former agricultural lands with alder species is common in Europe
The landscape of the study territory is a mosaic of agricultural land, forests dominated by spruce, pine, birch and aspen, and former agricultural land mostly overgrown by grey alder and spruce (Ruskule et al 2016)
Average height of trees in the centre of the patches was 13.2 ± 0.5 m on sandy Dystric Arenosols and 12.2 ± 0.6 m on sandy loam Endostagnic Umbrisols
Summary
Natural afforestation of former agricultural lands with alder species is common in Europe. Changes in SOC and nutrient element content in soil during forest development depend on other factors like previous land use (grasslands, herbaceous plants, etc.), soil tillage and cultivation, tree species, tree stand age, relief, climate and soil properties like clay content and pH value (Paul et al 2002; Jandl et al 2007; Laganière et al 2010; Uri et al 2014; Cukor et al 2017). The aim of the study was to determine changes in soil properties during the natural afforestation of abandoned agricultural lands with grey alder, depending on soil group. We paid attention to development of spatial heterogeneity of soil properties during the afforestation from concentric tree patches
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