Nutrient Dynamics of Planted Forests

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 July 2018) | Viewed by 14927

Special Issue Editor

Department of Agroforestry Technology and Science & Genetics, School of Advanced Agricultural & Forestry Engineering, Castilla La Mancha University, Campus Universitario s/n, C.P. 02071 Albacete, Spain
Interests: natural regeneration; soil erosion; forest hydrology; nutrient cycling; soil microbiology; forest management; forest fires
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil nutrients are recognized as a primary limiting factor affecting initial seedlings, saplings and juvenile trees in planted forest. Physico-chemical attributes of soil are correlated with the capacity to provide nutrients for plants and/or retaining chemical elements necessary to the environment and plant development. In addition, the soil organic matter contains readily metabolisable compounds, which can act as energy sources for microorganisms, take part in crucial processes, such as organic matter dynamics, decomposition processes and nutrient cycling. Many different factors alter nutrient dynamics of planted forests. For example, concentrations of different soil nutrients did vary with stand age and forest use. Moreover, soil nutrient variability under the same climate is likely to be small unless there is a shift in plant species composition (and thus litter quality). We encourage studies from all fields, including experimental studies, monitoring approaches and models, to contribute to this Special Issue in order to promote knowledge for the preservation, management, and future development of nutrient dynamics of planted forest.

Dr. Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Soil Nutrient
  • Forest Plantations
  • Forest Management
  • Nutrient Cycling
  • Tree Species Composition & Development

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1462 KiB  
Article
Regular Fertilization Effects on the Nutrient Distribution of Bamboo Components in a Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens (Mazel) Ohwi) Stand in South Korea
by Choonsig Kim, Gyeongwon Baek, Byung Oh Yoo, Su-Young Jung and Kwang Soo Lee
Forests 2018, 9(11), 671; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f9110671 - 26 Oct 2018
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3892
Abstract
Fertilizers are commonly applied to improve the productivity and quality of bamboo. However, the nutrient responses of bamboo components after regular fertilization are not fully understood. This study was carried out to determine the effects of regular fertilization on the nutrient distribution of [...] Read more.
Fertilizers are commonly applied to improve the productivity and quality of bamboo. However, the nutrient responses of bamboo components after regular fertilization are not fully understood. This study was carried out to determine the effects of regular fertilization on the nutrient distribution of biomass components (i.e., culms, branches, leaves, roots, rhizomes) in a Moso bamboo stand in southern Korea. The study site was fertilized regularly for approximately 30 years to produce edible bamboo shoots. A total of 20 bamboo plants (10 fertilized and 10 unfertilized) were cut to measure the nutrient (C, N, P, K, Ca, Mg) concentrations of each bamboo component. Belowground roots and rhizomes were sampled at a 30-cm soil depth. The N, P, and K concentrations and stocks of aboveground biomass components were increased by regular fertilization, whereas the C, Ca, and Mg stocks were attributed to culm densities. The nutrient stocks of belowground roots were significantly lower in the fertilized plots than those in the unfertilized plots, except for the P stocks. The results indicate that regular fertilization could be a key factor to maintaining bamboo shoot productivity because of the increased responses of the nutrient concentration and stocks of bamboo components. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrient Dynamics of Planted Forests)
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13 pages, 2643 KiB  
Article
Effect of Fertilization on Growth and Mortality of Jack Pine Growing on Poor, Sandy Soils in Michigan, USA: Implications for Sustainable Management
by David E. Rothstein
Forests 2018, 9(9), 549; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f9090549 - 08 Sep 2018
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2596
Abstract
Our understanding of nutrient limitations to jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) growth is lacking across the Lake States of the USA (Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota), where this species makes up an important forest cover type on nutrient poor sands. Currently this cover [...] Read more.
Our understanding of nutrient limitations to jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) growth is lacking across the Lake States of the USA (Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota), where this species makes up an important forest cover type on nutrient poor sands. Currently this cover type is managed using whole-tree harvesting (WTH) across large areas of state and federal forestland, which raises concerns for long-term declines in soil fertility and future productivity. In this study, I carried out a factorial fertilization experiment to better understand potential nutrient limitations to jack pine growth on excessively drained sandy soils in northern Lower Michigan. Treatments were nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and base cations applied singly and in all factorial combinations. In addition, I constructed input-output nutrient budgets for jack pine management in northern Lower Michigan using existing data on atmospheric deposition, weathering and harvest nutrient removals. In no case did I observe an increase in tree growth rate to fertilization, instead I observed an overall decline in growth rates, and an increase in mortality rates, in trees fertilized with N. Nitrogen-induced imbalances of foliar N: potassium (K) were strongly correlated with decreased growth in N amended plots. Together with nutrient budget analysis, which indicated that harvest removals of K greatly exceed inputs over the planned rotation, this suggests that WTH may not be sustainable over multiple rotations. Furthermore, the impacts of WTH on ecosystem K status are likely to be exacerbated over time by anthropogenic N deposition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrient Dynamics of Planted Forests)
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11 pages, 3912 KiB  
Article
Changes in Topsoil Properties after Centennial Scots Pine Afforestation in a European Beech Forest (NE Spain)
by Antonio Girona-García, David Badía-Villas and Clara Martí
Forests 2018, 9(6), 343; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f9060343 - 10 Jun 2018
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3364
Abstract
In this work, we studied the effects of centenary Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) afforestation on topsoil properties conducted in a deforested area that was previously occupied by a natural European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest. Organic layers and topsoil Ah [...] Read more.
In this work, we studied the effects of centenary Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) afforestation on topsoil properties conducted in a deforested area that was previously occupied by a natural European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest. Organic layers and topsoil Ah mineral horizons (0–10 cm) were sampled in the Scots pine and European beech forests of Moncayo Natural Park (north-eastern Spain). The physical (stoniness, aggregate stability, and water repellency persistence and intensity), chemical (total organic C, total N, C/N, pH, and exchangeable Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, Al3+, and Fe3+), and physicochemical (cation exchange capacity) properties of soil were analyzed. Total organic C and N were also obtained for litter samples. The studied topsoils shared a series of common properties, such as a high stoniness and aggregate stability, very low base content, high cation exchange capacity, and extreme acidity. Soils that developed under the pinewood showed a higher soil water repellency intensity. However, K+ content was significantly higher in the beechwood soil. In both forest types, total organic C and N were similar in topsoil and litter (Hemimoder type), although C and N were pooled in different O-layers. Results indicate that pine afforestation in a deforested area was an adequate measure for soil protection since it did not show significant differences in the long term (ca. 100 years) compared to the nearby natural beech stands. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrient Dynamics of Planted Forests)
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14 pages, 3033 KiB  
Article
Ecological Stoichiometric Characteristics of Two Typical Plantations in the Karst Ecosystem of Southwestern China
by Danbo Pang, Genzhu Wang, Guijing Li, Yonglei Sun, Yuguo Liu and Jinxing Zhou
Forests 2018, 9(2), 56; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f9020056 - 25 Jan 2018
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 4432
Abstract
Reforestation has been widely adopted to restore soil fertility and ecosystem service function in the rocky desertification region of southwestern China. However, there has been limited research concerning the stoichiometry of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) and nutrient resorption rate of [...] Read more.
Reforestation has been widely adopted to restore soil fertility and ecosystem service function in the rocky desertification region of southwestern China. However, there has been limited research concerning the stoichiometry of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) and nutrient resorption rate of plantations in karst ecosystems. In this study, we selected plantations of Pinus yunnanensis Franch. (PY) and Eucalyptus maideni F. Muell. (EM) in Yunnan Province. The C, N, and P concentrations and the C:N:P stoichiometry in different soil layers (0–10 cm, 10–20 cm, and 20–30 cm) were examined. The nutrient limitation and nutrient resorption efficiency were also analyzed. The leaf C and N concentrations in the PY plantation were higher than that in the EM plantation; the P concentration demonstrated the opposite trend, both in green and senesced leaves. Soil C, N, and P concentrations in the EM plantation were much greater than in the PY plantation at all three depths and decreased with the depth of the soil. In addition, the high ratios of C:P, N:P, C:Available P, and N:Available P in soil coupled with the ratios of N:P in leaves indicate that the EM plantation has a greater P deficiency than the PY plantation. In the EM plantation, the relatively low P concentrations in senesced leaves indicates efficient TP (Total phosphorus) resorption, which highlights that the high reuse proficiency of P could have favored moderating P limitation in the karst ecosystem. This research aids in understanding the stoichiometric characteristics that mediate forest properties, and provides a basis for management of vegetation in karst ecosystems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrient Dynamics of Planted Forests)
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