Tashe, N. C. and Schmidt, M. G. 2003. The influence of understory vine maple on forest floor and mineral soil properties in coastal temperate forests. Can. J. Soil Sci. 83: [35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44]. In coastal forests of the Pacific Northwest, vine maple (Acer circinatum Pursh) is a common understory tree species. We studied the influence of vine maple, growing in the understory of a stand of Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] and western hemlock [Tsuga heterophylla (RAF.) Sarg.], on forest floor and mineral soil properties. Fifteen (in a 75-yr-old stand) and 12 (in a 130-yr-old stand) plots containing vine maple were compared to paired plots without the influence of vine maple. Mull humus was dominant under vine maples, while mor humus was mainly found under conifers at the 130 yr-old stand. Common to both stands in the upper mineral soil were greater mineralizable N and total exchangeable bases under vine maple. At the 75-yr-old stand, the forest floor had a higher pH and greater total exchangeable base concentration, while the mineral soil had a lower C:N ratio, greater NO 3 -availability and lower available P concentration and content under vine maple compared to conifers. The 130-yr-old stand had less available P content and greater concentrations of mineralizable N and exchangeable Mg in the forest floor under vine maple. Results suggest that the presence of vine maple may enhance the availability of N and exchangeable bases, but may adversely affect P availability. -disponible et une plus faible concentration de P disponible là où pousse l'érable circiné, comparativement aux endroits où il n'y avait que des conifères. Le sol du peuplement de 130 ans contenait moins de P disponible et une plus grande concentration de N minéralisable et de Mg échangeable là où l'érable circiné s'était implanté. Ces résultats donnent à penser que l'érable circiné peut accroître l'apport de N et de bases échangeables, mais réduire la concentration de P disponible.

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