Vertical Distribution of pH and Nutrients in Forest Soil on Water-eroded Area of Southern China - Abstract
The analysis of soil physical and chemical properties in typical water erosion area is helpful to understand the mechanism of soil and water conservation. Vertical soil samples were collected from topsoil to 50cm depth in southern China under coniferous forests, coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forests, and broad-leaved forests. The distribution characteristics of soil pH and nutrients were then analyzed. The nutrients include organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), total phosphorus (TP) available phosphorus (AP) total potassium (TK), and available potassium (AK). Results showed that, with the increase of soil depth, the average pH increased, OM, TN, an, AK decreased, while TK, TP, AP changed not significantly. The soil nutrients were mostly the greatest in broad leaved forests, and the least in the coniferous forests. All the soil nutrients were the greatest in the Light soil erosion grade, the least in the Moderate grade, and the middle in the Intense grade. These results indicated that ground litter contributed mainly to the vertical change of soil properties, broad leaved forests had a stronger capacity to gather nutrients and could increase the contents of soil nutrients in vertical profiles, and the soil erosion resulted in the loss of soil nutrients, but the degree of the loss was affected by the forest communities. This study provided valuable references for vegetation restoration and ecological reconstruction in water-eroded areas.