Impacts of low-intensity prescribed fire on microbial and chemical soil properties in a Quercus frainetto forest

Prescribed fire is a common economical and effective forestry practice, and therefore it is important to understand the effects of fire on soil properties for better soil management. We investigated the impacts of low-intensity prescribed fire on the microbial and chemical properties of the top soil in a Hungarian oak(Quercus frainetto Ten.) forest. The research focused on microbial soil parameters(microbial soil respiration(RSM), soil microbial biomass carbon(Cmic) and metabolic quotient(qCO2) and chemical topsoil properties(soil acidity(pH),electrical conductivity(EC), carbon(C), nitrogen(N), C/N ratio and exchangeable cations). Mean annual comparisons show significant differences in four parameters(C/N ratio,soil pH, Cmic and qCO2) while monthly comparisons do not reveal any significant differences. Soil pH increased slightly in the burned plots and had a significantly positive correlation with exchangeable cations Mg, Ca, Mn and K.The mean annual C/N ratio was significantly higher in the burned plots(28.5:1) than in the control plots(27.0:1). The mean annual Cmic(0.6 mg g-1) was significantly lower although qCO2(2.5 lg CO2–C mg Cmic h-1) was significantly higher, likely resulting from the microbial response to fire-induced environmental stress. Low-intensity prescribed fire caused very short-lived changes. The annual mean values of C/N ratio, pH, Cmic and qCO2showed significant differences.

Litter decomposition in pure and mixed Quercus and Fagus stands as influenced by arthropods in Belgrad Forest,Turkey

Arthropod assemblages and decomposition rates were compared in the litter of pure and mixed Quercus(Quercus petraea L.)and Fagus(Fagus orientalis L.)stands.Litter was sampled on a monthly basis for 1 year and stored in litterbags of different mesh sizes.The experimental objective was to test the effect of mesh size on litter decomposition,decomposition rates of litter,and diversity of the invertebrate fauna between the two types of stands.Decomposition rates were measured by filling three fiber litterbags of different mesh sizes with pure Quercus litter(3 g)left in the pure Quercus stand,and litterbags with Fagus litter(3 g)were left in the pure Fagus stand.Mixed litter samples were prepared by mixing of equal amounts of each litter in the same litterbag and leaving them in the mixed stand.The residual mass of litter from the pure Quercus stand was significantly lower in fine-and coarse-mesh bags than in the medium-mesh bags in pure the Fagus stand.Carbon and nitrogen levels in the pure Quercus litter were significantly different among the mesh sizes at the end of the incubation period.Macroarthropods from 27 taxa were collected from pitfall traps every month.Their relative numbers differed significantly between the pure and mixed-stand litter samples.Litter-dwelling Isotomidae(Collembola)and Mesostigmata(Acarina),and soil-dwelling Mesostigmata were the most numerous in the mixed stand.It is significant that the abundance of macroarthropods contributed to the mass loss of litter in both the medium and coarse mesh sizes in the mixed stand,but did not significantly affect the mass of litter in the pure stands.In the mixed stand,there was a negative correlation between litter mass loss and total number of microarthropods in all mesh sizes.Mixed-stand litter decomposed more slowly than pure-stand litter.

Thinning effects on biomass and element concentrations of roots in adjacent hornbeam and oak stands in Istanbul,Turkey

Background:Thinning is a commonly used treatment in forest management which affects the tree root systems.The effects of thinning on element concentrations and seasonal change of roots were evaluated in adjacent oak(Quercus frainetto Ten.)and hornbeam(Carpinus betulus L.)stands according to the different root diameter classes.Method:Two replicated control and thinning plots(50m×50 m)were set for each species(hornbeam and oak).Thinning treatments(November 2010)reduced 50%of the basal area in both oak and hornbeam stands.Roots were assessed by seasonal collection over 2 years(from October 2010 to October 2012).The roots were then sorted into diameter classes of 0–2mm(fine roots),2–5mm(small roots)and>5mm(coarse roots).C,N,P,K,Ca,Na,Mg,S,Mn,Fe,Al,Zn,Pb,Ni,Cu and Cd were analyzed.Results:Except coarse roots,the highest root biomasses were determined in April-2011 in all plots.Fine-root biomass in oak was found significantly higher in control plots.In contrast to the oak,the fine-root biomass in the thinned hornbeam plots was higher than in the controls.The small-root biomass did not significantly differ between the thinned and the control plots in both oak and hornbeam stands.However,the coarse-root biomass showed significant differences between the control(1989 g∙m^(−2))and thinned plots(1060 g∙m^(−2))in oak,while no difference was detected in hornbeam.The concentrations of C,Al,Pb,Cd,Ni,Zn,Mn,Na,K,Mg and P in the fine roots of oak were significantly higher in the thinned plots.However,the concentration of Pb,Cd and Fe in the fine roots was significantly higher in the thinned plots of hornbeam.Significant differences were observed between the species for all elements in the fine roots except for C,N and P.In particular,elements in the fine roots tended to increase in July in the oak.In the hornbeam,all element concentrations in the fine roots(except C,N,and S)in the thinned plots showed a tendency to increase in April.The concentrations of Pb,Ni,Al,Fe,Cu,Ca,Na,K,Mg and P in the hornbeam control plots increased during the April 2011 period.Conclusion:The results indicated that thinning effects on temporal changes and concentrations of elements in the roots could be attributed to species-specific characteristics.