Correlations between forest soil quality and aboveground vegetation characteristics in Hunan Province, China

As a key component of terrestrial ecosystems, soil interacts directly with aboveground vegetation. Evaluating soil quality is therefore of great significance to comprehensively explore the interaction mechanism of this association. The purpose of this study was to fully understand the characteristic...

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Main Authors: Yafei Shen, Jing Li, Fangfang Chen, Ruimei Cheng, Wenfa Xiao, Lichao Wu, Lixiong Zeng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-12-01
Series:Frontiers in Plant Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.1009109/full
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author Yafei Shen
Yafei Shen
Jing Li
Fangfang Chen
Ruimei Cheng
Ruimei Cheng
Wenfa Xiao
Wenfa Xiao
Lichao Wu
Lixiong Zeng
Lixiong Zeng
author_facet Yafei Shen
Yafei Shen
Jing Li
Fangfang Chen
Ruimei Cheng
Ruimei Cheng
Wenfa Xiao
Wenfa Xiao
Lichao Wu
Lixiong Zeng
Lixiong Zeng
author_sort Yafei Shen
collection DOAJ
description As a key component of terrestrial ecosystems, soil interacts directly with aboveground vegetation. Evaluating soil quality is therefore of great significance to comprehensively explore the interaction mechanism of this association. The purpose of this study was to fully understand the characteristics of aboveground vegetation, soil quality, and their potential coupling relationship among different forest types in Hunan Province, and to provide a theoretical basis for further exploring the mechanisms underlying soil–vegetation interactions in central China. We have set up sample plots of five kinds of forests (namely broad-leaved forest, coniferous forest, coniferous broad-leaved mixed forest, bamboo forest, and shrub forest) in Hunan Province. To explore the differences of vegetation characteristics and soil physical and chemical properties among the five stand types, variance analysis, principal component analysis, and regression analysis were used. Finally, we explored the coupling relationship between soil quality and aboveground vegetation characteristics of each forest. We found that there were significant differences in soil quality among the forest types, ranked as follows: shrub forest > bamboo forest > broad-leaved forest > mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forest > coniferous forest. In general, there was a negative correlation between vegetation richness and soil quality in the broad-leaved forest and the shrub forest, but they showed a positive correlation in the coniferous forest, the mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forest, and the bamboo forest. As a necessary habitat condition for aboveground vegetation, soil directly determines the survival and prosperity of plant species. These results indicated that for vegetation–soil dynamics in a strong competitive environment, as one aspect wanes the other waxes. However, in a weak competitive environment, the adverse relationship between vegetation and soil is less pronounced and their aspects can promote.
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spelling doaj.art-2a4e62dcaa5b43e4bd90c4ee71de583e2022-12-22T04:40:51ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2022-12-011310.3389/fpls.2022.10091091009109Correlations between forest soil quality and aboveground vegetation characteristics in Hunan Province, ChinaYafei Shen0Yafei Shen1Jing Li2Fangfang Chen3Ruimei Cheng4Ruimei Cheng5Wenfa Xiao6Wenfa Xiao7Lichao Wu8Lixiong Zeng9Lixiong Zeng10Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, ChinaCo-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, ChinaEcology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Desertification Combating of Hunan Province, College of Forestry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, ChinaEcology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, ChinaCo-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, ChinaEcology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, ChinaCo-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Desertification Combating of Hunan Province, College of Forestry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, ChinaEcology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, ChinaCo-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, ChinaAs a key component of terrestrial ecosystems, soil interacts directly with aboveground vegetation. Evaluating soil quality is therefore of great significance to comprehensively explore the interaction mechanism of this association. The purpose of this study was to fully understand the characteristics of aboveground vegetation, soil quality, and their potential coupling relationship among different forest types in Hunan Province, and to provide a theoretical basis for further exploring the mechanisms underlying soil–vegetation interactions in central China. We have set up sample plots of five kinds of forests (namely broad-leaved forest, coniferous forest, coniferous broad-leaved mixed forest, bamboo forest, and shrub forest) in Hunan Province. To explore the differences of vegetation characteristics and soil physical and chemical properties among the five stand types, variance analysis, principal component analysis, and regression analysis were used. Finally, we explored the coupling relationship between soil quality and aboveground vegetation characteristics of each forest. We found that there were significant differences in soil quality among the forest types, ranked as follows: shrub forest > bamboo forest > broad-leaved forest > mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forest > coniferous forest. In general, there was a negative correlation between vegetation richness and soil quality in the broad-leaved forest and the shrub forest, but they showed a positive correlation in the coniferous forest, the mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forest, and the bamboo forest. As a necessary habitat condition for aboveground vegetation, soil directly determines the survival and prosperity of plant species. These results indicated that for vegetation–soil dynamics in a strong competitive environment, as one aspect wanes the other waxes. However, in a weak competitive environment, the adverse relationship between vegetation and soil is less pronounced and their aspects can promote.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.1009109/fullsubtropicalsoil physical and chemical propertiesforest stand typescoupling characteristicssurvival competition
spellingShingle Yafei Shen
Yafei Shen
Jing Li
Fangfang Chen
Ruimei Cheng
Ruimei Cheng
Wenfa Xiao
Wenfa Xiao
Lichao Wu
Lixiong Zeng
Lixiong Zeng
Correlations between forest soil quality and aboveground vegetation characteristics in Hunan Province, China
Frontiers in Plant Science
subtropical
soil physical and chemical properties
forest stand types
coupling characteristics
survival competition
title Correlations between forest soil quality and aboveground vegetation characteristics in Hunan Province, China
title_full Correlations between forest soil quality and aboveground vegetation characteristics in Hunan Province, China
title_fullStr Correlations between forest soil quality and aboveground vegetation characteristics in Hunan Province, China
title_full_unstemmed Correlations between forest soil quality and aboveground vegetation characteristics in Hunan Province, China
title_short Correlations between forest soil quality and aboveground vegetation characteristics in Hunan Province, China
title_sort correlations between forest soil quality and aboveground vegetation characteristics in hunan province china
topic subtropical
soil physical and chemical properties
forest stand types
coupling characteristics
survival competition
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.1009109/full
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