Short-term effects of thinning and liming on forest soils of pitch pine and Japanese larch plantations in central Korea

Jaehong Hwang, Yowhan Son

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    38 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The influences of thinning (50% of standing density) and liming (Ca+Mg, 2 Mg ha-1) on soil chemical properties were investigated for 2 years (2001, 2002) in 40-year-old pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill.) and 44-year-old Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis Gord.) plantations established on similar soils. In general, soil properties varied significantly among plantations and treatments. For both plantations, thinning significantly increased soil organic C (SOC) concentrations whereas there were no significant changes in soil pH and Ca and Mg concentrations. In addition, thinning increased total soil N and Na concentrations for the pitch pine plantation and available P concentration for the Japanese larch plantation in the second year after the treatment. Liming did not affect soil chemical characteristics for the pitch pine plantation except for Na concentration. However, for the Japanese larch plantation, liming significantly increased soil pH and K, Ca and Mg concentrations and decreased SOC and total soil N concentrations. For both plantations, soil Al concentration did not change after thinning and liming and decreased exponentially with increased pH values. The increases in SOC and total soil N concentrations after thinning were possibly due to increases in decomposition of organic matter and root death. Although differences were not statistically significant, soil available P concentration tended to increase at early stages of liming for both plantations. These results suggested that thinning and liming seemed to regulate soil chemical properties for pitch pine and Japanese larch plantations established on similar soils.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)671-680
    Number of pages10
    JournalEcological Research
    Volume21
    Issue number5
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2006 Sept

    Bibliographical note

    Funding Information:
    Acknowledgements Financial support was provided by a Korea University Grant in 2003. This work was also partially supported by the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development in Korea (2005).

    Keywords

    • Larix leptolepis
    • Liming
    • Pinus rigida
    • Soil chemical properties
    • Thinning

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

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