Effects of Planting Density on Soil Bulk Density, pH and Nutrients of Unthinned Chinese Fir Mature Stands in South Subtropical Region of China

Chinese fir (<i>Cunninghamia lanceolata</i> (Lamb.) Hook) is a fast-growing evergreen conifer with high-quality timber and is an important reforestation and commercial tree species in southern China. Planting density affects the productivity of Chinese fir plantations. To study the effec...

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Main Authors:	Aiguo Duan, Jie Lei, Xiaoyan Hu, Jianguo Zhang, Hailun Du, Xiongqing Zhang, Wenfu Guo, Jianjun Sun
Format:	Article
Language:	English
Published:	MDPI AG 2019-04-01
Series:	Forests
Subjects:	Chinese fir mature stand planting density soil profile nutrient content
Online Access:	https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/10/4/351

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spelling	doaj-54b335294eaf4b9e9e7f57b586c8cd062020-11-24T20:47:30ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072019-04-0110435110.3390/f10040351f10040351Effects of Planting Density on Soil Bulk Density, pH and Nutrients of Unthinned Chinese Fir Mature Stands in South Subtropical Region of ChinaAiguo Duan0Jie Lei1Xiaoyan Hu2Jianguo Zhang3Hailun Du4Xiongqing Zhang5Wenfu Guo6Jianjun Sun7Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Forest Silviculture of the State Forestry Administration, State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Beijing 100091, ChinaResearch Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Forest Silviculture of the State Forestry Administration, State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Beijing 100091, ChinaResearch Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Forest Silviculture of the State Forestry Administration, State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Beijing 100091, ChinaResearch Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Forest Silviculture of the State Forestry Administration, State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Beijing 100091, ChinaResearch Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Forest Silviculture of the State Forestry Administration, State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Beijing 100091, ChinaResearch Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Forest Silviculture of the State Forestry Administration, State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Beijing 100091, ChinaExperiment Center of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Pingxiang 532600, ChinaExperimental Center of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Fenyi 336600, ChinaChinese fir (<i>Cunninghamia lanceolata</i> (Lamb.) Hook) is a fast-growing evergreen conifer with high-quality timber and is an important reforestation and commercial tree species in southern China. Planting density affects the productivity of Chinese fir plantations. To study the effect of five different planting densities and soil depth on soil nutrient contents of a mature <i>C. lanceolata</i> plantation, the soil nutrient contents (soil depths 0–100 cm) of 36-year-old mature Chinese fir plantations under five different planting densities denoted A (1667 trees·ha<sup>−1</sup>), B (3333 trees·ha<sup>−1</sup>), C (5000 trees·ha<sup>−1</sup>), D (6667 trees·ha<sup>−1</sup>), and E (10,000 trees·ha<sup>−1</sup>) were measured in Pingxiang county, Guangxi province, China. Samples were collected from the soil surface down to a one meter depth from each of 45 soil profiles, and soil samples were obtained at 10 different soil depths of 0–10, 10–20, 20–30, 30–40, 40–50, 50–60, 60–70, 70–80, 80–90, and 90–100 cm. Twelve soil physical and chemical indicators were analyzed. The results showed that: (1) as planting density increased, the organic matter, organic carbon, total N and P, available N, effective Fe, and bulk density decreased. Soil pH, total K, and effective K increased with increasing planting density. Planting density did not significantly influence the exchangeable Ca and Mg. (2) Soil organic matter; organic carbon; total N and P; effective N, P, and K; exchangeable Ca and Mg; effective Fe content; and bulk density decreased with increasing soil depth. This pattern was particularly evident in the top 30 cm of the soil. (3) Excessively high planting density is not beneficial to the long-term maintenance of soil fertility in Chinese fir plantations, and the planting density of Chinese fir plantations should be maintained below 3333 stems·ha<sup>−1</sup> (density A or B) to maintain soil fertility while ensuring high yields.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/10/4/351Chinese firmature standplanting densitysoil profilenutrient content
collection	DOAJ
language	English
format	Article
sources	DOAJ
author	Aiguo Duan Jie Lei Xiaoyan Hu Jianguo Zhang Hailun Du Xiongqing Zhang Wenfu Guo Jianjun Sun
spellingShingle	Aiguo Duan Jie Lei Xiaoyan Hu Jianguo Zhang Hailun Du Xiongqing Zhang Wenfu Guo Jianjun Sun Effects of Planting Density on Soil Bulk Density, pH and Nutrients of Unthinned Chinese Fir Mature Stands in South Subtropical Region of China Forests Chinese fir mature stand planting density soil profile nutrient content
author_facet	Aiguo Duan Jie Lei Xiaoyan Hu Jianguo Zhang Hailun Du Xiongqing Zhang Wenfu Guo Jianjun Sun
author_sort	Aiguo Duan
title	Effects of Planting Density on Soil Bulk Density, pH and Nutrients of Unthinned Chinese Fir Mature Stands in South Subtropical Region of China
title_short	Effects of Planting Density on Soil Bulk Density, pH and Nutrients of Unthinned Chinese Fir Mature Stands in South Subtropical Region of China
title_full	Effects of Planting Density on Soil Bulk Density, pH and Nutrients of Unthinned Chinese Fir Mature Stands in South Subtropical Region of China
title_fullStr	Effects of Planting Density on Soil Bulk Density, pH and Nutrients of Unthinned Chinese Fir Mature Stands in South Subtropical Region of China
title_full_unstemmed	Effects of Planting Density on Soil Bulk Density, pH and Nutrients of Unthinned Chinese Fir Mature Stands in South Subtropical Region of China
title_sort	effects of planting density on soil bulk density, ph and nutrients of unthinned chinese fir mature stands in south subtropical region of china
publisher	MDPI AG
series	Forests
issn	1999-4907
publishDate	2019-04-01
description	Chinese fir (<i>Cunninghamia lanceolata</i> (Lamb.) Hook) is a fast-growing evergreen conifer with high-quality timber and is an important reforestation and commercial tree species in southern China. Planting density affects the productivity of Chinese fir plantations. To study the effect of five different planting densities and soil depth on soil nutrient contents of a mature <i>C. lanceolata</i> plantation, the soil nutrient contents (soil depths 0–100 cm) of 36-year-old mature Chinese fir plantations under five different planting densities denoted A (1667 trees·ha<sup>−1</sup>), B (3333 trees·ha<sup>−1</sup>), C (5000 trees·ha<sup>−1</sup>), D (6667 trees·ha<sup>−1</sup>), and E (10,000 trees·ha<sup>−1</sup>) were measured in Pingxiang county, Guangxi province, China. Samples were collected from the soil surface down to a one meter depth from each of 45 soil profiles, and soil samples were obtained at 10 different soil depths of 0–10, 10–20, 20–30, 30–40, 40–50, 50–60, 60–70, 70–80, 80–90, and 90–100 cm. Twelve soil physical and chemical indicators were analyzed. The results showed that: (1) as planting density increased, the organic matter, organic carbon, total N and P, available N, effective Fe, and bulk density decreased. Soil pH, total K, and effective K increased with increasing planting density. Planting density did not significantly influence the exchangeable Ca and Mg. (2) Soil organic matter; organic carbon; total N and P; effective N, P, and K; exchangeable Ca and Mg; effective Fe content; and bulk density decreased with increasing soil depth. This pattern was particularly evident in the top 30 cm of the soil. (3) Excessively high planting density is not beneficial to the long-term maintenance of soil fertility in Chinese fir plantations, and the planting density of Chinese fir plantations should be maintained below 3333 stems·ha<sup>−1</sup> (density A or B) to maintain soil fertility while ensuring high yields.
topic	Chinese fir mature stand planting density soil profile nutrient content
url	https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/10/4/351
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Effects of Planting Density on Soil Bulk Density, pH and Nutrients of Unthinned Chinese Fir Mature Stands in South Subtropical Region of China

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