Organic‐carbon and nitrogen stocks and organic‐carbon fractions in soil under mixed pine and oak forest stands of different ages in NE Germany

Abstract

AbstractThe objective of this work was to evaluate the C and N stocks and organic‐C fractions in soil under mixed forest stands of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Sessile oak (Quercus petraea [Matt.] Liebl.) of different ages in NE Germany. Treatments consisted of pure pine (age 102 y), and pine (age 90–102 y) mixed with 10‐, 35‐, 106‐, and 124‐y‐old oak trees. After sampling O layers, soils in the mineral layer were taken at two different depths (0–10 and 10–20 cm). Oak admixture did not affect total organic‐C (TOC) and N stocks considering the different layers separately. However, when the sum of TOC stocks in the organic and mineral layers was considered, TOC stocks decreased with increasing in oak age (r2 = 0.58, p < 0.10). The microbial C (CMB) was not directly correlated with increase of oak age, however, it was positively related with presence of oak species. There was an increase in the percentage of the CMB‐to‐TOC ratio with increase of oak‐tree ages. On average, light‐fraction C (CLF) comprised 68% of the soil TOC in upper layer corresponding to the highest C pool in the upper layer. CLF and heavy‐fraction C (CHF) were not directly affected by the admixture of oak trees in both layers. The CHF accounted on average for 30% and 59% of the TOC at 0–10 and 10–20 cm depths, respectively. Despite low clay contents in the studied soils, the differences in the DCB‐extractable Fe and Al affected the concentrations of the CHF and TOC in the 10–20 cm layers (p < 0.05). Admixture of oak in pine stands contributed to reduce topsoil C stocks, probably due to higher soil organic matter turnover promoted by higher quality of oak litter.