The Soil Environment of Abandoned Charcoal Kiln Platforms in a Low-Altitude Central European Forest
This study examines the soil environment of eight charcoal kiln platforms and the neighboring soil in Czech and Bohemian low-altitude forest stands. Both mixed and undisturbed soil samples were used to assess the hydrophysical soil properties, nutrient content, cation exchange capacity, enzyme activ...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/1/29 |
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| author | Aleš Kučera Ladislav Holík Robert Knott Zdeněk Adamec Jiří Volánek Aleš Bajer |
| author_facet | Aleš Kučera Ladislav Holík Robert Knott Zdeněk Adamec Jiří Volánek Aleš Bajer |
| author_sort | Aleš Kučera |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examines the soil environment of eight charcoal kiln platforms and the neighboring soil in Czech and Bohemian low-altitude forest stands. Both mixed and undisturbed soil samples were used to assess the hydrophysical soil properties, nutrient content, cation exchange capacity, enzyme activity, and soil active carbon content, while soil color, stoniness, root density, and horizon thickness were estimated in the field. Charcoal-rich horizons had high total organic carbon concentrations and total nitrogen content (about 150% and 40% higher than in the organomineral horizons of the control plot, respectively), with total carbon stocks being higher than those in neighboring forest soils. Fine root density was highest in the charcoal-rich horizons, encouraged by high soil porosity, aeration, and favorable chemical properties. Enzyme group activity differed between individual soil horizons and kiln and control plots, with depolymerization enzyme activity highest in charcoal-rich horizons and humification enzyme activity highest in mineral horizons. Phosphatase, chitinase, and phenoloxidase activity were highest in charcoal-rich horizons, while β-glucosidase activity remained similar across horizons. After long-term abandonment, kiln sites shift from inhospitable sites to localized hotspots for plant and microbial growth, having more favorable physical, enzymatic, and chemical soil properties than the surrounding areas. This study confirmed that kiln production platforms act as microhabitat hotspots, also providing information on a wide spectrum of soil properties linked with soil microorganisms and root growth. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:42:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7ce3d07ffc9b4a709744f8dbcf50a639 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:42:55Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-7ce3d07ffc9b4a709744f8dbcf50a6392023-11-30T22:16:21ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072022-12-011412910.3390/f14010029The Soil Environment of Abandoned Charcoal Kiln Platforms in a Low-Altitude Central European ForestAleš Kučera0Ladislav Holík1Robert Knott2Zdeněk Adamec3Jiří Volánek4Aleš Bajer5Department of Geology and Soil Science, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno (Czech Republic), Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech RepublicDepartment of Geology and Soil Science, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno (Czech Republic), Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech RepublicDepartment of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno (Czech Republic), Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech RepublicDepartment of Forest Management and Applied Geoinformatics, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno (Czech Republic), Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech RepublicDepartment of Geology and Soil Science, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno (Czech Republic), Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech RepublicDepartment of Geology and Soil Science, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno (Czech Republic), Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech RepublicThis study examines the soil environment of eight charcoal kiln platforms and the neighboring soil in Czech and Bohemian low-altitude forest stands. Both mixed and undisturbed soil samples were used to assess the hydrophysical soil properties, nutrient content, cation exchange capacity, enzyme activity, and soil active carbon content, while soil color, stoniness, root density, and horizon thickness were estimated in the field. Charcoal-rich horizons had high total organic carbon concentrations and total nitrogen content (about 150% and 40% higher than in the organomineral horizons of the control plot, respectively), with total carbon stocks being higher than those in neighboring forest soils. Fine root density was highest in the charcoal-rich horizons, encouraged by high soil porosity, aeration, and favorable chemical properties. Enzyme group activity differed between individual soil horizons and kiln and control plots, with depolymerization enzyme activity highest in charcoal-rich horizons and humification enzyme activity highest in mineral horizons. Phosphatase, chitinase, and phenoloxidase activity were highest in charcoal-rich horizons, while β-glucosidase activity remained similar across horizons. After long-term abandonment, kiln sites shift from inhospitable sites to localized hotspots for plant and microbial growth, having more favorable physical, enzymatic, and chemical soil properties than the surrounding areas. This study confirmed that kiln production platforms act as microhabitat hotspots, also providing information on a wide spectrum of soil properties linked with soil microorganisms and root growth.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/1/29available water capacitycarbon stockenzyme activitynutrient stocksoil sorption |
| spellingShingle | Aleš Kučera Ladislav Holík Robert Knott Zdeněk Adamec Jiří Volánek Aleš Bajer The Soil Environment of Abandoned Charcoal Kiln Platforms in a Low-Altitude Central European Forest Forests available water capacity carbon stock enzyme activity nutrient stock soil sorption |
| title | The Soil Environment of Abandoned Charcoal Kiln Platforms in a Low-Altitude Central European Forest |
| title_full | The Soil Environment of Abandoned Charcoal Kiln Platforms in a Low-Altitude Central European Forest |
| title_fullStr | The Soil Environment of Abandoned Charcoal Kiln Platforms in a Low-Altitude Central European Forest |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Soil Environment of Abandoned Charcoal Kiln Platforms in a Low-Altitude Central European Forest |
| title_short | The Soil Environment of Abandoned Charcoal Kiln Platforms in a Low-Altitude Central European Forest |
| title_sort | soil environment of abandoned charcoal kiln platforms in a low altitude central european forest |
| topic | available water capacity carbon stock enzyme activity nutrient stock soil sorption |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/1/29 |
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