Influence of broadleaf trees on soil chemical properties: A retrospective study in the Sub-Boreal Spruce Zone, British Columbia, Canada

摘要

A retrospective study examined the influence of broadleaf trees, principally paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.), on soil properties under mixedwoods with lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia Dougl. ex Loud.) in the Sub-Boreal Spruce zone of central British Columbia, Canada. After 23 years, approximately 50% of the forest floor mass typical of mature forests in this zone had already accumulated on an initially denuded surface, but this new forest floor was poor in woody components. Correlation analysis found no relationship between the degree of broadleaf occupancy and total forest floor accumulation, but a significant qualitative influence on chemical properties of the non-woody forest floor components: higher pH, total N, available P, extractable Ca, Mg, and K, and lower C:N ratios. No such relationships existed for the surface (0–20 cm depth) mineral soils.