Relative importance of soil properties and functional diversity to the spatial pattern of the forest soil nitrogen

Kang, Jian; Deng, Zebang; Zhang, Zhongrui; Chen, Shuilian; Huang, Jian‐Guo; Ding, Xiaolei

doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109806

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 108 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This means that its availability has a significant impact on the productivity and overall health of the ecosystem. Moreover, there was a strong coupling relationship between carbon and nitrogen [44]. In the present study, MUS1 and MUS2 plots showed the lowest N content.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 51%

“…Nitrogen (N) is also vital for healthy forest ecosystems, playing a crucial role in various functions, such as the production and transformation of soil organic matter, as well as influencing the soil's physicochemical and biological properties [16] and playing a vital role in photosynthesis in plant leaves for the growth of forest trees [44]. In many forest ecosystems, N is a critical limiting factor.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Impact of Malayan Uniform System and Selective Management System of Logging on Soil Quality in Selected Logged-over Forest in Johor, Malaysia

Abd Halim,

Jiang,

Abdu

et al. 2024

Forests

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Understanding the effects of various forest management systems, including logging practices, on soil properties is essential for implementing sustainable management strategies. In Malaysia, two types of forest management systems were commonly used: Malayan Uniform System (MUS) and Selective Management System (SMS) practices. However, their effects on soil quality remained elusive, especially after decades of recovery. To address this need, we selected three plots for the MUS and SMS in Johor, Malaysia, to assess soil properties in logged-over forest plots. All the plots were natural forest reserves. Soil properties analyzed include soil acidity, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, selected nutrient contents, and soil compaction. Generally, the results of the study indicate that forests logged using the SMS exhibit superior soil quality compared to those logged using the MUS according to several key soil properties. Specifically, significantly higher cation exchange capacity, potassium content, calcium content, and magnesium content with lower soil compaction was observed in the SMS when compared to MUS plots. In short, the SMS enhances soil quality more effectively than the MUS, even with a shorter logging cycle. This is because the SMS does not harvest all trees and distributes the impact of harvesting more evenly over time, rather than concentrating it at a single time point. Ultimately, this highlights that the SMS can play a significant role in promoting sustainable forest management practices by preserving soil quality.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 51%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Malayan Uniform System and Selective Management System of Logging on Soil Quality in Selected Logged-over Forest in Johor, Malaysia

Abd Halim,

Jiang,

Abdu

et al. 2024

Forests

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Soil Quality Index According to Diverse Land Use Systems Across the Europe

Shoumik,

Błońska,

Lasota

2024

Land Degrad Dev

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Soil quality index (SQI) can be an effective parameter to evaluate soil quality based on plant growth and ecosystem services at a large scale. According to the European Commission, around 60%–70% of the European soil is not healthy due to degradation and rapid conversion of land uses; however, detailed studies on soil quality according to different land uses in the entire Europe are very limited. We aimed to develop an SQI using the Land Use and Coverage Area Frame Survey (LUCAS) database for the existing croplands (230 samples), grasslands (53 samples), and woodlands (36 samples) to evaluate the overall soil quality across the continent. A total of five soil variables (sand, organic carbon, electrical conductivity, bacteria, and fungi) were selected for the minimum dataset based on principal component analysis from all 13 variables to avoid redundancy. The relationship between the developed SQI and climatic variables (precipitation and temperature) was also analyzed. We found that croplands had higher SQI (0.45 ± 0.09) than grasslands (0.44 ± 0.09) and woodlands (0.43 ± 0.1), with no significant differences among the land uses (p > 0.05). The spatial analysis revealed higher SQI (> 0.46) in the central part of the EU and lower (< 0.46) in the northern and southwestern EU. The sub‐categorical assessment of land uses showed that broadleaved and mixed woodland had better soil quality than the coniferous counterparts. The SQI showed a weak relationship with precipitation and temperature in all land uses, and it differs depending on climatic zones. Our findings also suggested that the agricultural management practices in cropland and better soil quality in grassland might buffer the influences of short‐term variations in temperature and precipitation. We conclude that this EU‐scale study of SQI provides a clear view of the soil quality status, which can also be effective for the policymakers to adopt sustainable management practices for improving soil quality.

show abstract