Effects of selective cutting disturbance on soil phosphorus adsorption and desorption in a Korean pine and broad-leaved mixed forest in the Xiaoxing'an Mountains, China.

Abstract

This study examined the characteristics of phosphorus (P) adsorption and desorption in surface soil (0-10 cm) of a secondary forest after selective cutting disturbance at three levels of intensity (low, medium, high) in order to reveal the effects of different disturbance intensities on soil P adsorption and desorption. Maximum adsorption amount (Qm), adsorption intensity factor, maximum buffer capacity, maximum desorption amount, average desorption rate and readily desorptable phosphorus were measured. Qm in the focal forests was 1383.93-1833.34 mg·kg-1, and Qmin forests with middle and high disturbance intensities was significantly higher than that in forests with low disturbance intensity and in primary forests. P adsorption intensity was 0.024-0.059 L·mg-1, and forests with high and low disturbance intensities increased the P adsorption intensity significantly. The maximum buffer capacity varied from 35.68 to 97.97 L·kg-1, with the highest value found in the forest with the highest disturbance intensity. Selective cutting significantly reduced the potential for phosphorus supply in the forest soils. The maximum desorption amount, average desorption rate and readily desorptable phosphorus content in the focal forests were 526.32-797.54 mg·kg-1, 14.7%-25.5% and 1.79-5.41 mg·kg-1, respectively, indicating that the ability of soil to release phosphorus significantly decreased with increasing disturbance intensity. Selective cutting changed the phosphorus adsorption and desorption characteristics by reducing the supply and release of soil phosphorus.