Effect of forest and soil type on microbial biomass carbon and respiration

Abstract

The aim of study was to evaluate the variation of soil microbial biomass carbon (C_mic) and microbial respiration (M_R) in three types soil (Chromic Cambisols, Chromic Luvisols and Eutric Leptosols) of mixed beech forest (Beech- Hornbeam and Beech- Maple). Soil was randomly sampled from 0–10 cm layer (plant litter removed), 90 soil samples were taken. C_mic determined by the fumigation-extraction method and M_R by closed bottle method. Soil C_org, N_tot and pH were measured. There are significant differences between the soil types concerning the C_mic content and M_R. These parameters were highest in Chromic Cambisols following Chromic Luvisols, while the lowest were in Eutric Leptosols. A similar trend of C_org and N_tot was observed in studied soils. Two-way ANOVA indicated that soil type and forest type have significantly effect on the most soil characteristics. Chromic Cambisols shows a productive soil due to have the maximum C_mic, M_R, C_org and N_tot. In Cambisols under Beech- Maple forest the C_mic value and soil C/N ratio were higher compared to Beech-Hornbeam (19.5 and 4.1 mg C g^–1, and 16.3 and 3.3, respectively). This fact might be indicated that Maple litter had more easy decomposable organic compounds than Hornbeam. According to regression analysis, 89 and 68 percentage of C_mic variability could explain by soil C_org and N_tot respectively.