Abstract
A substantial fraction of the organic matter and plant essential nutrients in forest ecosystems are contained in the soil. The role of soils in nutrient storage and availability is an essential component of ecosystem function and stability. The top 10 cm of soil contains the highest concentration of nutrients. To determine the influence of forest age on nutrient storage and availability in riparian soils, we compared concentrations, storage, and extractability of plant nutrients in the litter layer and top 10 cm of mineral soil in old-, second-, and young-growth riparian forests. The analysis of variance for nutrient concentration, nutrient storage, or nutrients extracted in both the litter layer and top 10 cm of mineral soil showed no significant differences among sites or seasons for any nutrient; only differences among forest ages will be discussed. Concentrations of N, P, Mg, Mn, and Cu in forest litter did not differ by forest age, but concentrations of K, Ca, and B were significantly higher in old-growth forest litter than in the litter of second-or young-growth forests. In mineral soil, the concentrations of all nutrients were statistically equal for all forest ages. Old-growth forests stored significantly (P ≤ 0.05) greater amounts of all nutrients measured in the litter layer, and greater amounts of N, P, and K in the mineral soil, than were stored in second- or young-growth forests. Greater amounts of P, B, and Zn were extracted from old-growth forest litter than from either second- or young-growth forest litter, and greater amounts of P, K, Mn, B, and Zn were extracted from old-growth mineral soil than from second- or young-growth mineral soil. The amount of each nutrient stored in the litter layer of the different-aged forests correlated curvilinearly with the amount of C in the litter layer of these forests; r2 ranged from 0.60 to 0.83. Also, the amount of N, K, and Ca stored in the mineral soil correlated curvilinearly with the amount of C in the soil; r2 ranged from 0.50 to 0.76.
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