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Scientia Silvae Sinicae ›› 2022, Vol. 58 ›› Issue (9): 25-35.doi: 10.11707/j.1001-7488.20220903

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Characteristics of Soil Carbon Pool in Pinus massoniana Forest One Year after Moderate Forest Fires

Sisheng Luo1,2,Bizhen Luo1,*,Shujing Wei2,Haiqing Hu1,Xiaochuan Li2,Zhenshi Wang2,Yufei Zhou2,Zhao Song2,Yingxia Zhong2   

  1. 1. College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University Harbin 150040
    2. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Silviculture, Protection and Utilization Guangdong Academy of Forestry Guangzhou 510520
  • Received:2020-08-17 Online:2022-09-25 Published:2023-01-18
  • Contact: Bizhen Luo

Abstract:

Objective: The soil physicochemical properties, dynamic characteristics and changing trends of soil labile organic carbon (LOC) before and after forest fires in the secondary forests of Pinus massoniana were analyzed, and the impact of moderate forest fire intensity on the stability of the soil carbon pools was quantitatively evaluated, which can provide a reference for quantitative research on the effects of moderate forest fire intensity on soil carbon balance and carbon cycle. Method: The secondary forests of P. massoniana in mature forests, middle-aged forests and young forests were selected, and the soil samples from 0-60 cm layers in the burned area and adjacent unburned forests were collected. The soil physicochemical properties, fine root biomass and the soil LOC component content were measured and analyzed, and the soil carbon pool management index (CPMI) was calculated to explore the soil carbon pool change characteristics. The path analysis was used to explore the direct and indirect effects of soil CPMI. Result: Compared with the control plots, the soil bulk density increased by 3.80%-4.85%, soil pH increased by 4.21%-5.78%, and total soil phosphorus increased by 7.97%-12.44% in the 0-60 cm soil layers of each forest age after the forest fire. The soil moisture content decreased by 3.41%-3.97%, soil total nitrogen decreased by 15.09%-17.45%, and soil organic carbon decreased by 10.07%-14.31%. The soil labile organic carbon (LOC) in the young-aged, middle-aged and mature forests decreased by 22.70%, 19.48% and 17.48%, respectively. The soil CPMI of the secondary forest of P. massoniana with different forest ages was different in response to forest fire. The soil CPMI of young forest, middle-aged forest and mature forest was 26.15, 30.57 and 32.09, respectively, showing a increasing trend with the increase of forest age. Soil CPMI of P. massoniana secondary forest had a very significant correlation with each component of soil LOC (P < 0.01), and also had a very significant correlation with soil physicochemical properties and soil fine root biomass (P < 0.01). Path analysis showed that soil TN had the greatest direct effect on soil CPMI, with a path coefficient of 1.786, followed by soil TP and soil fine root biomass, with the path coefficients of -1.021 and 0.981, respectively. Conclusion: Moderate forest fire intensity has an important impact on the stability of soil organic carbon pool in the secondary forest of P. massoniana. The difference in soil nutrients released by mineralization of soil active organic matter among the three forest ages after forest fire is the key to the stability of soil carbon pool in the secondary forest of P. massoniana. The stability of soil organic carbon pool increases with the increase of stand age and soil depth. Therefore, when formulating the ecological restoration strategy in the burned area, the protection of mature forest land should be strengthened, and the artificial tending of young and middle-aged forest land should be strengthened to promote the natural regeneration and restoration of the secondary forest of P. massoniana after the fire.

Key words: forest fires, secondary forest of Pinus massoniana, different forest ages, soil organic carbon pools, carbon pool management index

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