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Response of soil microorganisms to vegetational succession in Ziwuling Forest

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Abstract

This study investigates the changes in soil microbial populations as vegetational succession progress from abandoned farmland to climax forest in the Ziwuling Forest, which is located in the northern part of the Loess Plateau, China. Different organic C and total extractable N between the fumigated and non-fumigated soils were assumed to be released from soil microorganisms. Soil microbial C was calculated using Kec = 0.38 and microbial N was calculated using Ken = 0.45. The released P was converted to microbial biomass P using Kep = 0.40. Soil bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes increased as the vegetational succession progressed. Microbial C was of the highest amount in farmland. Microbial C, N, and P generally increased from abandoned land to climax community. The results indicated significant (P < 0.05) diversities of soil microbial biomass under different vegetation. There was a significant correlation between microbial biomass and soil nutrients. Knowledge about soil microbial populations is important for forecasting vegetational succession and determining the ecological condition of the environment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Resource and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, 712100, China

    Hong Zhang & Jialong Lu

  2. Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, 712100, China

    Shiwei Zhao

Authors
  1. Hong Zhang
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  2. Jialong Lu
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  3. Shiwei Zhao
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Correspondence to Jialong Lu.

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Zhang, H., Lu, J. & Zhao, S. Response of soil microorganisms to vegetational succession in Ziwuling Forest. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng. China 3, 421–427 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-009-0147-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-009-0147-8

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