[Effects of litter addition on the dynamics of soil humic substances during freeze-thaw events in a subalpine forest]

Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao. 2019 Jul;30(7):2257-2266. doi: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.201907.006.
[Article in Chinese]

Abstract

During soil formation, the accumulation of humic substances such as humic acid and fulvic acid is an important way to maintain soil fertility and nutrient cycling, which is regulated by soil substrate quality, litter, and environmental factors. In a laboratory incubation experiment, we exa-mined the effects of litter addition on soil humic substances accumulation in freeze-thaw environment by controlling the freeze-thaw cycles and litter additions in soils from the typical coniferous forest, mixed forest and broadleaved forest in a subalpine forest in western Sichuan. The freeze-thaw events significantly increased the content of humic substances in the coniferous forest soils but decreased those in the mixed forest soil and broadleaved forest soil. Litter addition had no significant effect on the content of soil humic substances. Freeze-thaw events increased the content of humic acid, with the net accumulation of humic acid following the order of mixed forest > coniferous forest > broad-leaved forest. Freeze-thaw events decreased the content of fulvic acid in the three forest soils during the early stage of incubation, and the degree of fulvic acid degradation was broadleaved forest > mixed forest > coniferous forest. Litter addition had no significant effect on the content of soil humic acid and fulvic acid. With prolonged incubation, the content of humic acid and fulvic acid in the three types of forest soils all declined. These results indicated that litter had effects on soil humic substances, which were related to soil substrate quality and affected by the duration of soil freeze-thaw events in winter.

亚高山森林土壤形成过程中,胡敏酸、富里酸等腐殖物质的累积是维持土壤肥力及物质循环的重要途径,它受到土壤基质质量、凋落叶和环境因素的调控.本研究以川西亚高山典型的针叶林、针阔混交林和阔叶林土壤为对象,采用室内培养控制冻融环境和凋落叶添加的方法,研究冻融环境下凋落叶添加对土壤腐殖物质累积的影响.结果表明: 冻融循环环境下针叶林土壤腐殖质含量升高,而针阔混交林和阔叶林土壤腐殖质含量降低,且凋落叶对土壤腐殖质含量无显著影响.培养前期冻融环境下3种林型土壤胡敏酸净累积,净累积量大小为针阔混交林>针叶林>阔叶林,富里酸含量下降,下降程度为阔叶林>针阔混交林>针叶林,且凋落叶对土壤胡敏酸和富里酸含量无显著影响.随培养时间的延长,3种林型土壤胡敏酸及富里酸含量均下降.这表明,凋落叶对土壤腐殖质含量的影响与土壤基质质量存在密切关系,且受到冬季土壤冻融时间长短的影响.

Keywords: freeze-thaw cycle; fulvic acid; humic acid; humus.

MeSH terms

  • Forests*
  • Freezing
  • Humic Substances*
  • Seasons
  • Soil*

Substances

  • Humic Substances
  • Soil