Distribution of organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon and enzymatic activity in profile of luvisols under different tree species

Authors

  • Silvia Labudová Department of Microbiology, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovak Republic Author
  • Nora Szombathová Department of Pedology and Geology, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovak Republic Author
  • Jana Maková Department of Microbiology, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovak Republic Author
  • Roman Labuda Biopure Referenzsubstanzen GmbH, Technopark 1, 3430 Tulln, Austria Author

Keywords:

dehydrogenase activity, forest, hot water extractable carbon, meadow, microbial biomass carbon, organic carbon

Abstract

Selective influence of different deciduous and coniferous tree species (original or introduced) on chemical characteristics (pH, humus quality, total organic carbon (Corg), hot water extractable C (Chwe), microbial biomass C (Cmic) and dehydrogenase activity (DHA) was studied in the Nature Reserve Arboretum Mlyňany, Slovakia. The soil profiles of nine stands represented by three deciduous trees (oak, sugar maple and cherry laurel), five coniferous (spruce, yew, white fir, Japanese cedar and Himalayan pine), and one meadow stand (taken as a reference) were included in this study. It was found that the plant cover influenced all measured parameters. The average Corg, Chwe, Cmic and DHA were higher in A horizons in deciduous soils (DS) than in coniferous soils (CS). The average proportion of Chwe/Corg in A horizon was higher in DS (about 4%) than in CS (over 3%), which was comparable with that in the meadow (3.16%). The average proportion of Cmic/Corg was found to be the highest in the meadow soil (6.13%) in comparison with DS (2.18%) and CS (1.35%). In most stands, the proportion of Cmic/Corg as well as Chwe/Corg increased with depth, indicating a higher decrease rate in organic matter than in microbial biomass. The most favourable humus quality in A horizon in terms of HA/FA ratio was found under the trees meadow (0.92), whereas those under deciduous and coniferous were much lower and identical (0.53).

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2009-01-01

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Vol. 36 No. 2 (2009)

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