Soil C-N-P pools and stoichiometry as affected by intensive management of camellia oleifera plantations

PLoS One. 2020 Sep 4;15(9):e0238227. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238227. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Intensive management of C. oleifera has produced many pure C. oleifera plantations. The transmission of C. oleifera plantation will potentially affect soil C, N, and P pools as well as their stoichiometric characteristics both in top soil layer and vertical soil profile due to the intensive management. To understand changes in vertical pools and stoichiometric characteristics of soil C, N, and P as affected by intensive management of C. oleifera plantations, both mixed and pure C. oleifera plantations were studied. We conducted studies in five locations in Jiangxi, China with both pure and mixed C. oleifera plantations, to compare changes in vertical pools and stoichiometry of C, N, and P. Both C and N pools were significantly different between mixed and pure plantation types of C. oleifera. However, the ratio of C:N, C:P, and N:P was consistently higher in mixed plantations with C:P and N:P altered but C:N ratio did not change with soil depth. The intensive management significantly impact both C and N pools and the stoichiometry of C, N, and P. Intensive management of C. oleifera plantations decreased both C and N pools, especially at the depth of 30-50 cm soil layer. C. oleifera plantation alteration from mixed to pure should be considered in future forest management practice considering the substantial effects on soil element cycling and distribution along vertical soil profile.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agriculture / methods*
  • Camellia / growth & development*
  • Camellia / metabolism*
  • Carbon / analysis*
  • Nitrogen / analysis*
  • Phosphorus / analysis*
  • Soil / chemistry*

Substances

  • Soil
  • Phosphorus
  • Carbon
  • Nitrogen

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Grant Numbers 41967017 and 31960303, and the Jiangxi Education Department, Project Number GJJ160348.