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Abstract
Although Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) is an important species for wood production in subtropical China, it serious declines in soil nutrients and timber productivity in plantations have been reported, probably caused by successive rotation and inappropriate cutting time. Although the significant effect of stand age on soil properties has been widely recognized, research on soil enzymes and microbial communities is relatively rare. In this study, assuming that short rotation period is one important reason for soil degradation, we measured soil physicochemical properties, microbial community composition, and enzyme activity in 3-, 15-, 25- and 45-year Chinese fir forests in Jiangxi province of China. Soil organic carbon (SOC) content decreased from 3-year to 25-year stands and then increased in 45-year stands. Despite the significant relationship between SOC and the abundance of total phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), no notable changes in the abundance of PLFAs were detected with increasing tree ages, except for the abundances of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) which were significantly higher in 25-year stands. However, the ratios of gram-positive to gram-negative bacteria (G+/G−) and fungi to bacteria (F/B) both decreased with increasing stand age. 45-year stands showed the highest activities of both phosphatase and β-glucosidase. Total potassium (TK) content and net N mineralization rate both had significant links with soil microbial community structure. Collectively, our study emphasized that stand age could significantly affect soil physicochemical properties and the microbial community. In general, 25-year stands showed poorer soil status compared to that of 45-year stands. Thus, the cutting age of Chinese fir should be increased to over 25 years to maintain a better soil status.
Highlights
Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) is cultivated in the south of China because of its fast growth and high yield [1,2]
We addressed two nutrients would increase in older stands; (2) soil microbial community biomass and enzyme activities hypotheses: (1) soil nutrients would increase in older stands; (2) soil microbial community biomass would show a V-shaped trend with increasing age
Consistent with the study of Yang et al [52] and contrary to the result of Cavagnaro et al [54], we found that the fungi to bacteria (F/B) ratio significantly decreased in older stands, suggesting a lower soil nutritional stress with tree growth, as bacteria tend to accumulate when soil nutrients are enough while a shift towards fungal dominance will occur when soil nutrient contents decline [55,56]
Summary
Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) is cultivated in the south of China because of its fast growth and high yield [1,2]. It usually matures between 25 to 30 years and is harvested from 20 to 25 years to meet the growing need for timber [3,4]. 7] and to the increased need for an improved understanding of soil changes during the growth of Chinese fir forests.
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