不同氮效率水稻生育后期根表和根际土壤硝化特征

通过田间试验研究了不同氮效率粳稻品种4007(氮高效)和Elio(氮低效)生育后期在N0(0kgNhm-2)、N180(180kgNhm-2)和N300(300kgNhm-2)水平下根表、根际和土体土壤pH值、铵态氮(NH4+-N)和硝态氮(NO3--N)含量、硝化强度和氨氧化细菌(AOB)数量。结果表明无论是齐穗期、灌浆期还是成熟期,根表土壤pH值均显著低于根际和土体土壤。土壤pH值范围在5.95至6.84之间变化。土壤NH4+-N含量随水稻生长显著下降,且随施氮量增加而显著增加。根表土壤NH4+-N有明显亏缺区,且随距水稻根表距离增加,NH4+-N含量逐渐升高。土壤NO3--N含量随水稻生长显著增加,施氮处理均显著高于不施氮处理,但N180和N300处理差异不显著。NO3--N含量表现为根际>土体>根表。水稻根表和根际土壤硝化强度随水稻生长显著下降,而土体土壤硝化强度随时间延长小幅增加。施氮显著提高4007水稻根表土壤在齐穗和收获期硝化强度以及Elio在齐穗期根际硝化强度,但在施氮处理N180和N300中无显著差异。在整个采样期间,土壤硝化强度均表现为根际>根表>土体。水稻根表和根际AOB数量随水稻生长而显著降低,而土体土壤AOB数量无显著变化。例如,根表土壤AOB数量在齐穗期、灌浆期和收获期分别为16.7×105、8.77×105个g-1drysoil和8.01×105个g-1drysoil。根表和根际土壤AOB数量无显著差异,但二者显著高于土体土壤AOB数量。就两个氮效率水稻品种而言,土壤pH值基本无差异。4007土壤NH4+-N含量均显著高于Elio。在齐穗期水稻根表、根际和土体土壤NO3--N含量在N180水平下均表现为Elio显著高于4007。而在灌浆期和收获期,水稻根表、根际和土体土壤则表现为4007显著高于Elio。在所有采样期,两个水稻品种土体土壤硝化强度和AOB数量在3个施氮量下均无显著差异。Elio根表和根际土壤硝化强度和AOB数量在水稻灌浆期之前一直显著高于4007,而在灌浆期之后则显著低于4007,且最终产量和氮素利用率(NUE)显著低于4007,这可能是由于4007灌浆期后硝化作用强,根际产生的NO3--N含量高,从而4007根吸收NO3--N的量也高造成的。因此水稻灌浆期和收获期根表和根际硝化作用以及AOB与水稻高产及氮素高效利用密切相关。

Adsorption of Cadmium by Soil Colloids and Minerals in Presence of Rhizobia

Experiments were conducted to study the adsorption of Cd on two soil colloids (red soil and yellow- brown soil) and three variable-charge minerals (goethite, noncrystalline Fe oxide and kaolin) in the absence and presence of rhizobia. The tested strain Rhizobium fredii C6, tolerant to 0.8 mmol L-1 Cd, was selected from 30 rhizobial strains. Results showed that the isotherms for the adsorption of Cd by examined soil colloids and minerals in the presence of rhizobia could be described by Langmuir equation. Within the range of the numbers of rhizobial cells studied, the amount of Cd adsorbed by each system increased with increasing rhizobial cells. Greater increases for the adsorption of Cd were found in red soil and kaolin systems. Rhizobia influence on the adsorption of Cd by examined soil colloids and minerals was different from that on the adsorption of Cu. The presence of rhizobia increased the adsorption sanity of soil colloids and minerals for Cd, particularly for the goethite and kaolin systems. The discrepancies in the influence of rhizobia on the adsorbability and affinity of selected soil colloids and minerals for Cd suggested the different interactions of rhizobia with various soil components. It is assumed that bacterial biomass plays an important role in controlling the mobility and bioavailability of Cd in soils with kaolinite and goethite as the major colloidal components, such as in variable-charge soil.

An evaluation on using soil aggregate stability as the indicator of interrill erodibility

Aggregate stability is a very important predictor of soil structure and strength, which influences soil erodibility. Several aggregate stability indices were selected erodibility of four soil properties from temperate for estimating interrill types with contrasting and subtropical regions of China. This study was conducted to investigate how closely the soil interrill erodibility factor in the Water Erosion Prediction Project （WEPP） model relates to soil aggregate stability. The mass fractal dimension （FD）, geometric mean diameter （GMD）, mean weight diameter （MWD）, and aggregate stability index （ASI） of soil aggregates were calculated. A rainfall simulator with a drainable flume （3.0 m long × 1.0 m wide × 0.5 m deep） was used at four slope gradients （5°,10 °,15° and 20°）, and four rainfall intensities （0.6, 1.1, 1.7 and 2.5 mm/min）. Results indicated that the interriU erodibility （Ki） values were significantly correlated to the indices of ASI, MWD, GMD, and FD computed from the aggregate wet-sieve data. The Kihad a strong positive correlation with FD, as well as a strong negative correlation with ASI, GMD, and MWD. Soils with a higher aggregate stability and lower fractal dimension have smaller Ki values. Stable soils were characterized by a high percentage of large aggregates and the erodible soils by a high percentage of smaller aggregates. The correlation coefficients of Ki with ASI and GMD were greater than those with FD and MWD, implying that both the ASI and GMD may be better alternative parameters for empirically predicting the soil Ki factor. ASI and GMD are more reasonable in interrill soil erodibility estimation, compared with Ki calculation in original WEPP model equation. Results demonstrate the validation of soil aggregation characterization as an appropriate indicator of soil susceptibility to erosion in contrasting soil types in China.

Influence of Neutral Salts and pH on Exchangeable Acidity of Red Soil and Latosol Colloids

In the present work, the exchangeable acidity of a red soilcolloid and a latosol colloid at different pH during reacting withfour neutral salts was measured. The results show that theexchangeable acidity increased with increasing amounts of the neutralsalts added, and the relation between them was almost linear. Whenthe amount of the neutral salt added was lower than a certain value,the slop of the line was high, and the slop turned low when theamount exceeded that value, so there was a turning point in eachline. The addition amounts of the neutral salts for the turningpoints were affected by the cation species of the neutral salts, butpH had less effect on them. After the turning points occurred, theexchangeable acidity of the red soil colloid still graduallyincreased with the addition amounts of the neutral salts, but that ofthe latosol colloid did not increase any more.

Soil Aggregates, Organic Matter, and Labile C and N Fractions after 37 Years of N, P and K Applications to an Irrigated Subtropical Soil under Maize-Wheat Rotation

Abstract： Physical, chemical and biological soil properties in surface （0-5 cm） and subsurface soil （5-15 cm） were determined in a field experiment conducted with seven treatments consisted of different combinations of fertilizer N （0, 100 and 200 kg N ha^-1）, P （0, 22 and 44 kg P2O5 ha^-1） and K （0, 41 and 82 kg K2O ha^-1） applied both to summer-grown maize （Zea mays L.） and winter-grown wheat （Triticum aestivum L.） crops continuously for 37 years under irrigated subtropical conditions. Application of N, P and K significantly increased water stable aggregates and had profound effects in increasing the mean weight diameter as well as the formation of macro-aggregates, which were highest in both surface （81%） and subsurface （74%） soil layers with application of 100 kg N ＋ 22 kg P2O5 ＋ 41 kg K2O ha^-1 （N100P22K41）. The N100P22K41 treatment also enhanced total organic C （TOC） from 4.4 g kg^-1 in no-NPK control to 4.8 g kg^-1in surface layer and from 3.3 to 4.1 g kg1 in subsurface layer leading to the 20% higher TOC stocks in 0-15 cm soil. The labile C and N fractions such as water soluble C, particulate and light fraction organic matter, potentially mineralizable N and microbial biomass were also highest under the optimized balanced application of N100P22K41. Relatively higher increase in all labile fractions of C and N as proportion of TOC and total N, respectively suggested that these are potential indicators to reflect changes in management practices long before changes in TOC and TN are detectable. These results demonstrated that optimized balanced application of N, P and K is crucial for improving soil health ensuring long-term sustainability of farming systems in semiarid subtropical soils.

Salt-Water Dynamics in Highly Salinized Topsoil of Salt-Affected Soil During Water Infiltration

Continuous monitoring of salt and water movement in the soil profile of highly salinized topsoil under steadystate infiltration was conducted.It gives that salt and water dynamics during convection-diffusion period can be divided into three stages:1.formation of a salt peak,2.the salt peak moving downwards till the appearance of the summit of the salt peak,3.the salt peak moving further downwards with the peak value decreasing.Results show that the maximum salt peak appears at the same depth if soil texture and outflow condition are the same.Factors affecting salt and water movement and ion components in the outflow solution underinfiltration are discussed.

Decomposition of Plant Materials in Upland and Submerged Soils Under Different Climatic Conditions

The decomposition of plant materials in soil, along with the factors affecting it, has been frequently studied, and much information has been accumulated. Most reports indicated that the decomposition of organic materials proceeded more slowly in paddy soil than in upland soil because of the insufficient 02 supply, the lower soil temperature and the weaker activity of aquatic invertebrates in the former as compared with those in

Effect of barley straw biochar application on greenhouse gas emissions from upland soil for Chinese cabbage cultivation in short-term laboratory experiments

Chinese cabbage was cultivated in upland soil with the addition of biochar in order to investigate the potential for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Barley straw biochar(BSB) was introduced in a Wagner pot(1/5000a) in amounts of 0(BSB0, control), 100(BSB100), 300(BSB300), and 500(BSB500) kg 10a^(-1). After the addition of BSB into the upland soil, carbon dioxide(CO_2) emission increased while methane(CH_4) and nitrous oxide(N_2O) emissions decreased. The highest CO2 flux was measured for the BSB500 sample,(84.6 g m^(-2)) followed by BSB300, BSB100, and BSB0 in decreasing order. Relative to those of control, the total CH_4 flux and N_2O flux for the BSB500 treatment were lower by 31.6% and 26.1%, respectively. The global warming potential(GWP) of the treatment without biochar was 281.4 g CO_2 m-2 and those for treatments with biochar were in the range from 194.1 to 224.9 g CO_2 m^(-2). Therefore, introducing BSB into upland soil to cultivate Chinese cabbages can reduce the global warming potential.

Enhancing performance of soil using lime and precluding landslide in Benin(West Africa)

The past decade has been characterized by the development of infrastructure in the main cities in West Africa.This requires more comprehensive studies of geotechnical properties of the soil in the region with an aim of creating sustainable development.This paper examined the performance of the soil in Benin(West Africa).In this research,three objectives have been adopted in-depth on the performance characteristics of West Africans soil and aim to(i)accessing characteristics of soil types in the region;(ii)assessing the performance of these soils with 2%,3%and 5%of lime and(iii)characterizing landslide to evaluate the damage and potential instability.The methods used to examine these objectives are experimental tests according to standard French test.The particle size test,Proctor test,and Atterberg limits test which are physical tests and the mechanical tests such as dynamic penetration test,direct shear test,and oedometer test,were used to assess the first objective.The Proctor test and California bearing ratio test were examined for the second objective and geological,environmental,social and safety study of the river bank slide were evaluated for the third objective.This paper firstly reveals the unstable and stable areas in southern Benin(West Africa)with the presence of clays soil and gives an equation for predicting the unstable and stable area,and secondly shows that the proportion of percentage lime leading to the best performances varying between 2%and 3%.Finally,this paper shows that the sliding of a bank could be the consequence of the sudden receding water recorded in a valley.

Snake Model for the Extraction of Loess Shoulder-line from DEMs

Shoulder lines are the most important landform demarcations for geographical analysis,soil erosion modeling and land use planning in the Loess Plateau area of China.This paper proposes an automatic,effective and accurate method of determining loess shoulder line from DEMs by integrating a hydrological D8 algorithm and a snake model.The watershed boundary line is adopted as the initial contour which evolves to identify the exact position of loess shoulder-line by the guidance of an external force of snake model from DEMs.Experiments show that the method overcomes the difficulties in both threshold selection for edge detection and the disconnecting issues in former extraction approaches.The accuracy evaluation of shoulder-line maps from the two test sites of the loess plateau area show obvious improvements in the extraction.The average contour matching distance of the new method is 12.0 m on 5 m resolution DEM,and shows improvement in the accuracy and continuity.The comparisons of accuracy evaluations of the two test sites show that the snake model method performs better in the loess plain area than in the area with high gully density.

Influence of Dry Density on Soil-Water Retention Curve of Unsaturated Soils and Its Mechanism Based on Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry

The soil-water retention curve(SWRC)can be used to evaluate the ability of unsaturated soils to attract water at various water contents and suctions. In this study, drying SWRCs for a kind of sandy soil were obtained in the laboratory by using self-modified SWRC apparatus. In addition, the porosity and the pore size distribution of the samples were investigated by a mercury porosimetry test in order to analyze the effect of dry density. Results showed that the soil-water retention of the soil specimens was strongly dependent on the dry density. Under zero suction, soil specimens with a higher dry density exhibited lower initial volumetric water content. The higher the dry density of soil, the more slowly the volumetric water content decreased with the increase of suction. There was a general and consistent trend for a soil specimen to possess a larger air-entry value and residual suction, while smaller slope of SWRC when it had a higher density. This was probably attributed to the presence of smaller interconnected pores in the soil specimen with a higher dry density. The proportion of large diameter pores decreased in comparison to pores with small diameters in the soil tested. The measured total pore volume of the soil specimen, which had a larger dry density, was lower than that of the relatively loose specimens.

Soil Aggregates and Fractal Features under Different Land Use Types in a Frequent Debris Flow Area

The stability of soil aggregates and the fractal characteristics of four typical land use types(farmland,grassland,woodland,and bare land) in the Jiangjiagou Ravine(Yunnan,China),a frequent debris flow occurring area,were studied according to the normal mean mass diameter and fractal theory.The present research showed that the stability of the soil aggregates was different for the different land use types.When the soil depth was 0-30 cm,farmland soil formed more aggregates with diameters greater than 0.25 mm,i.e.,the farmland soil was more stable than that of the other three land uses.When the soil depth was 30-45 cm,the order of stability of the soil aggregates was woodland > grassland > farmland > bare land.The fractal dimensions had a significant linear positive correlation with the amount of soil particles with diameters of <0.25 mm,and a significant negative linear correlation with the amount of soil particles with diameters of 0.25-0.5 mm,0.5-1 mm and 1-2 mm.Smaller fractal dimensions of the soil particles correlated with more stable soil aggregates.The fractal dimensions had a positive linear correlation with the soil bulk density and a negative correlation with the concentration of organic matter.These results showed that soil aggregates can be used as a parameter for characterizing the soil structures and properties.According to these results,the soil particle fractal dimensions could not only objectively characterize the stability of the soil structure but also could be used to indicate soil structure and properties.In addition,these results have great significance for the discussion of the comprehensive evaluation of soil.

Finite element analysis of couple effect of soil displacement and axial load on single inclined pile

The couple effect of soil displacement and axial load on the single inclined pile in cases of surcharge load and uniform soil movement is discussed in detail with the methods of full-scale field tests and finite element method. Parametric analyses including the degree of inclination and the distance between soil and pile are carried out herein. When the displacement of soil on the left side and right side of a pile is identical, deformation of a vertical pile and an inclined pile is highly close in both cases of surcharge load and uniform soil movement. When the couple effect of soil displacement and axial load occurs, settlement of an inclined pile is greater than that of a vertical pile under the same axial load, and bearing capacity of an inclined pile is smaller than that of a vertical pile. This is quite different from the case when the inclined pile is not affected by soil displacement. For inclined piles, P-Δ effect of axial load would lead to a large increase in bending moment, however, for the vertical pile, P-Δ effect of axial load can be neglected. Although the direction of inclination of piles is reverse, deformation of piles caused by uniform soil movement is totally the same. For the inclined piles discussed herein, bending moment(-8 m to-17 m under the ground) relies heavily on uniform soil movement and does not change during the process of applying axial load. When the thickness of soil is less than the pile length, the greater the thickness of soil, the larger the bending moment at lower part of the inclined pile. When the thickness of soil is larger than the pile length, bending moment at lower part of the inclined pile is zero.

Impact of Land Use and Soil Fertility on Distributions of Soil Aggregate Fractions and Some Nutrients

The size distribution of water-stable aggregates and the variability of organic C,N and P contents over aggregate size fractions were studied for orchard,upland,paddy,and grassland soils with high,medium,and low fertility levels.The results showed that > 5 mm aggregates in the cultivated upland and paddy soils were 44.0% and 32.0%,respectively,less than those in the un-tilled orchard soil.Organic C and soil N in different size aggregate fractions in orchard soil with high fertility were significantly higher than those of other land uses.However,the contents of soil P in different size aggregates were significantly greater in the paddy soil as compared to the other land uses.Soil organic C,N and P contents were higher in larger aggregates than those in smaller ones.The amount of water-stable aggregates was positively correlated to their contribution to soil organic C,N and P.For orchard and grassland soils,the > 5 mm aggregates made the greatest contribution to soil nutrients,while for upland soil,the 0.25-0.053 mm aggregates contributed the most to soil nutrients.Therefore,the land use with minimum disturbance was beneficial for the formation of a better soil structure.The dominant soil aggregates in different land use types determined the distribution of soil nutrients.Utilization efficiency of soil P could be improved by converting other land uses to the paddy soil.

Enzyme Activity in Water-Stable Soil Aggregates as Affected by Long-Term Application of Organic Manure and Chemical Fertiliser

The activities of invertase, protease, urease, acid phosphomonoesterase, dehydrogenase, and catalase in different fractions of waterstable aggregates (WSA) were examined in long-term (26 years) fertilised soils. The long-term application of organic manure (OM) with chemical fertiliser (CF) significantly increased macroaggregate and decreased microaggregate percentages, enhanced the mean weight diameter, and significantly increased soil total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents of WSA in different size fractions. Combined fertilisation with OM and CF also increased invertase, protease, urease, acid phosphomonoesterase, dehydrogenase, and catalase activities of WSA in different size fractions. Enzyme activities were higher in macroaggregates than in microaggregates. The distribution of enzyme activities generally followed the distribution of TC and TN in WSA. The geometric mean of the enzyme activities in different WSA of OM-treated soils was significantly higher than that in soils treated with 100% CF or no fertiliser. The results indicated that the long-term combined application of OM with CF increased the aggregate stability and enzyme activity of different WSA sizes, and consequently, improved soil physical structure and increased soil microbial activity.

Application of Biochars for Soil Constraints:Challenges and Solutions

Biochar addition to soil is currently being considered as a means to sequester carbon while simultaneously improving soil health,soil fertility and agronomic benefits. The focus of this special issue is on current research on the effects of biochar application to soil for overcoming diverse soil constraints and recommending further research relating to biochar application to soil. The biochar research has progressed considerably with important key findings on agronomic benefits, carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions, soil acidity, soil fertility, soil health, soil salinity, etc., but more research is required before definitive recommendations can be made to end-users regarding the effects of biochar application across a range of soils, climates and land management practices.

Effect of Rotational Tillage on Soil Aggregates, Organic Carbon and Nitrogen in the Loess Plateau Area of China

In rain-fed semi-arid agroecosystems, continuous conventional tillage can cause serious problems in soil quality and crop production, whereas rotational tillage （no-tillage and subsoiling） could decrease soil bulk density, and increase soil aggregates and organic carbon in the 0-40 cm soil layer. A 3-year field study was conducted to determine the effect of tillage practices on soil organic carbon （SOC）, total nitrogen （TN）, water-stable aggregate size distribution and aggregate C and N sequestration from 0 to 40 cm soil in semi-arid areas of southern Ningxia. Three tillage treatments were tested： no-tillage in year 1, subsoiling in year 2, and no-tillage in year 3 （NT-ST-NT）; subsoiling in year 1, no-tillage in year 2, and subsoiling in year 3 （ST-NT-ST）; and conventional tillage over years 1-3 （CT）. Mean values of soil bulk density in 0-40 cm under NT-ST-NT and ST-NT-ST were significantly decreased by 3.3% and 6.5%, respectively, compared with CT, while soil total porosity was greatly improved. Rotational tillage increased SOC, TN, and water-stable aggregates in the 0-40 cm soil, with the greatest effect under ST-NT-ST. In 0-20 and 2（}-40 cm soils, the tillage effect was confined to the 2-0.25 mm size fraction of soil aggregates, and rotational tillage treatments obtained significantly higher SOC and TN contents than conventional tillage. No significant differences were detected in SOC and TN contents in the 〉 2 mm and 〈 0.25 mm aggregates among all treatments. In conclusion, rotational tillage practices could significantly increase SOC and TN levels, due to a fundamental change in soil structure, and maintain agroecosystem sustainability in the Loess Plateau area of China.

Effects of Tillage Practices and Land Use Management on Soil Aggregates and Soil Organic Carbon in the North Appalachian Region,USA

Promoting soil carbon sequestration in agricultural land is one of the viable strategies to decelerate the observed climate changes. However, soil physical disturbances have aggravated the soil degradation process by accelerating erosion. Thus, reducing the magnitude and intensity of soil physical disturbance through appropriate farming/agricultural systems is essential to management of soil carbon sink capacity of agricultural lands. Four sites of different land use types/tillage practices, i） no-till （NT） corn （Zea mays L.） （NTC）, ii） conventional till （CT） corn （CTC）, iii） pastureland （PL）, and iv） native forest （NF）, were selected at the North Appalachian Experimental Watershed Station, Ohio, USA to assess the impact of NT farming on soil aggregate indices including water-stable aggregation, mean weight diameter （MWD） and geometric mean diameter （GMD）, and soil organic carbon and total nitrogen contents. The NTC plots received cow manure additions （about 15 t ha-1） every other year. The CTC plots involved disking and chisel ploughing and liquid fertilizer application （110 L ha-l）. The results showed that both water-stable aggregation and MWD were greater in soil for NTC than for CTC. In the 0-10 cm soil layer, the 〉 4.75-mm size fraction dominated NTC and was 46% more than that for CTC, whereas the 〈 0.25-mm size fraction was 380% more for CTC than for NTC. The values of both MWD and GMD in soil for NTC （2.17 mm and 1.19 mm, respectively） were higher than those for CTC （1.47 and 0.72 mm, respectively） in the 0-10 cm soil layer. Macroaggregates contained 6%-42% and 13%-43% higher organic carbon and total nitrogen contents, respectively, than microaggregates in soil for all sites. Macroaggregates in soil for NTC contained 40% more organic carbon and total nitrogen over microaggregates in soil for CTC. Therefore, a higher proportion of microaggregates with lower organic carbon contents created a carbon-depleted environment for CTC. In contrast, soil for NTC had more aggregation and contained higher organic carbon content within water-stable aggregates. The soil organic carbon and total nitrogen stocks （Mg ha-1） among the different sites followed the trend of NF 〉 PL 〉 NTC 〉 CTC, being 35%-46% more for NTC over CTC. The NT practice enhanced soil organic carbon content over the CT practice and thus was an important strategy of carbon sequestration in cropland soils.

Soil Hydraulic Properties： Influence of Tillage and Cover Crops

Understanding the effects of cover crops and tillage on soil physical properties is important for determining soil productivity. This study was conducted at Lincoln University＇s Freeman Center, USA to evaluate the effects of tillage and cover crop management on soil hydraulic properties. The field site included three replicate blocks in a randomized complete block design with each plot measuring 21.3 m in length and 12.2 m in width. Treatment factors were tillage at two levels （moldboard plow tillage vs. no tillage） and cover crop at two levels （cereal rye （Secale cereal） cover crop vs. no cover crop）. Soil samples were collected in late spring/early summer from each treatment at 10-cm depth increments from the soil surface to a depth of 40 cm using cores （76.2-mm diameter and 76.2-mm length）. Soil bulk density was 13% lower with tillage compared with no-tillage. Volumetric water content was significantly higher at 0.0 and -0.4 kPa pressures with tillage compared with no tillage. Tillage increased the proportion of coarse mesopores by 32gc compared with no tillage, resulting in 87% higher saturated hydraulic conductivity （Ksat）. Cover crop increased the proportion of macropores by 24~ compared with no cover crop; this can potentially increase water infiltration and reduce runoff. As a result of higher macroporosity, Ksat was higher under cover crop compared with no cover crop. This study demonstrated that tillage can benefit soil hydraulic properties in the short term, but these effects may not persist over time. Cover crops may slightly improve soil hydraulic properties, but longer term studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects.

Effects of Pits and Mounds Following Windthrow Events on Soil Features and Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in a Temperate Forest

Pit and mound micro-relief(resultant microsites from trees uprooted by windthrow) could have regimes of microclimate and soil features that differ from areas of undisturbed soil. In an attempt to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the significance of pits and mounds on soil features and also the dynamics of greenhouse gas(GHG) fluxes at local scale, this study was carried out in a reserved area of Darabkola forest in Mazandaran Province, northern Iran. The age of a pit and mound was considered equal to the degree of decay of the blown down tree. Three microsites were distinguished, consisting of pit bottom(PB), mound top(MT) and undisturbed area(UA). Soil samples were taken at 0–15 and 15–30 cm depths from all microsites and analysed for soil physical, chemical and biological features. Our findings suggested that in context of forest ecology, pits and mounds following windthrow events should be considered as an effective factor influencing soil features(i.e., density, texture, water content, p H, organic C, total N, available nutrients and earthworm density/biomass) and especially GHG fluxes. Results showed that MT acted as a sink for N2O(-0.010 mg N2 O m-2d-1) and CH4(-0.257 mg CH4m-2d-1) fluxes and also produced lower CO2 concentrations(0.095 mg CO2 m-2d-1) than PB(0.207 mg CO2 m-2d-1) and UA(0.098 mg CO2 m-2d-1). As a consequence, a separation into pits/mounds would be important for a precise budgeting of greenhouse gases.