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Scientia Silvae Sinicae ›› 2016, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (5): 17-25.doi: 10.11707/j.1001-7488.20160503

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Correlation between the Growth of Dominant Trees and Surface Soil Physiochemical Properties of Conifer and Broad-Leaved Mixed Forest at Different Succession Stages

Lin Wenshu, Mu Dan, Wang Liping, Shao Lijun, Wu Jinzhuo   

  1. College of Engineering & Technology, Northeast Forestry University Harbin 150040
  • Received:2015-04-16 Revised:2016-03-29 Online:2016-05-25 Published:2016-06-01

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Abstract:

[Objective] This study aims to analyze the relationship between surface soil physiochemical properties and the growth of dominant trees for mixed forest of conifer and broad-leaved species at different succession stages in order to explore the growth patterns of different stands and provide basis for sustainable forest management. [Method] The mixed forest conifers and broad-leaved trees at different succession stages (middle-aged forest, near-mature forest, mature forest, and old growth forest) in Jiaohe Management Bureau of Forestry Experimental Area, Jilin Province were studied. The methods of comparison and principal component analysis were used to analyze physical and chemical properties of the surface soil, the growth of dominant trees, and the relationship between them. [Result] with the succession of forest, the average diameter at breast height (DBH) of the dominant tree species increased, the average tree height varied slightly, the regeneration of Pinus koraiensis tended to be stable, and the number of Juglans mandshurica, Ulmus davidiana var.japonica, and U.macrocarpa gradually decreased in the upper overstory. With respect to the soil physical properties, the soil density was not significantly different among middle-aged forest, near-mature forest and mature forest and it reached the minimum at the stage of old-growth forest. With the succession of forest, the non-capillary porosity gradually decreased and capillary porosity gradually increased, as a result the variation of the total porosity was not significant. Among the four successional stages, the capillary water holding capacity and maximum water holding capacity at the stage of old-growth forest were the largest, which were 12.98% and 27.94% higher than middle-aged forest. With respect to the chemical properties of surface soil, the pH value of the soil layer at 0-20 cm of mature forest was the largest and that of near-mature forest was the smallest. The pH value of old-growth forest was between mature forest and middle-aged forest. The organic matter content of near-mature forest was the highest and that of mature forest was the lowest. In the old-growth forest, the total nitrogen, hydrolysable nitrogen, and available phosphorus were the highest among the four stage forests. The total phosphorus, total potassium, and available potassium in the near-mature forest were the highest. The mean tree height and mean DBH of the dominant tree species at different successional stages were all positively correlated with organic matter content, total phosphorus, total potassium, available phosphorus, and available potassium (mean tree height: r=0.980, 0.447, 0.921, 0.341, 0.546; mean DBH: r=0.003, 0.803, 0.083, 0.252, 0.448). The mean tree height of the dominant tree species was also negatively correlated with soil density, non-capillary porosity and pH value (r=-0.742, -0.358, -0.416), and significantly positively related to organic matter content, total nitrogen, and total potassium (r=0.980, 0.910, 0.921). The mean DBH of the dominant tree species was also positively correlated with soil density and total phosphorus (r=0.780, 0.803) and negatively correlated with maximum water holding capacity, and hydrolysable nitrogen (r=-0.562, -0.619). The maximum soil water holding capacity, soil density, hydrolysable nitrogen, and total phosphorus had great impacts on the diameter growth of the dominant tree species. [Conclusion] Capillary porosity, total phosphorus, and available potassium were the main factors affecting surface soil quality at different forest successional stages. The order of the comprehensive score of physical-chemical properties of surface soil at different forest succession stages was as follows: middle-aged forest

Key words: mixed forest of conifers and broad-leaved trees, soil physical-chemical properties, tree growth, PCA, comprehensive evaluation

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