Effects of planting broadleaf trees and Moso bamboo on soil carbon mineralization and microbial community structure

Abstract

We conducted a pot experiment to investigate the effects of planting broadleaf tree species (i.e., Cinnamomum camphora, Schima superba, and Quercus glauca) and Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) on soil carbon mineralization and microbial community structure. The rates of soil carbon mineralization were measured via alkali trapping method. The structural and functional diversity of soil bacterial and fungal communities were analyzed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and real-time quantitative PCR techniques. The soil planted with Moso bamboo exhibited a significantly higher carbon mineralization rate and labile carbon content than those in the soils planted with broadleaf tree species. The underground biomass of Moso bamboo was higher than that of broadleaf tree species. The soil bacterial communities were more sensitive than fungal communities to the planting of different plant species . Moreover, soil fungal diversity of Moso bamboo was distinctly different from that of broadleaf tree species. Compared to the diversity of soil bacterial communities, the diversity of soil fungal communities was more closely related with soil pH, organic carbon content, and carbon mineralization. In comparison to the broadleaf tree species, the Moso bamboo planting could substantially increase soil organic carbon minera-lization, which was affected mainly by the soil fungal community structure.