Characteristics of soil organic carbon and related exo-enzyme activities at different altitudes in temperate forests.

doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.201709.027

Abstract

Abstract: We measured soil organic carbon contents, hydrolase and oxidoreductase activities relating to carbon cycling at 7 different altitudes of Laotudingzi Mountain in temperate forest ecosystem, and studied the affecting factors of soil organic carbon contents and the related soil extracellular enzyme activities along the altitude. The results showed that soil organic carbon (SOC), particulate organic carbon (POC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) contents increased significantly with altitude except between 825-1233 m, and DOC/SOC decreased significantly with altitude. The activities of α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, β-xylosidase and cellobiohydrolase increased significantly with altitude, and the hydrolase activities were significantly and positively correlated with SOC, POC, DOC, total nitrogen (TN) and soil moisture contents (SMC). Peroxidase (POD) activity was significantly lower at 675 m in Larix gmelinii plantation than at the other altitudes, and was positively correlated with soil nutrient contents (SOC, TN, POC, DOC) and soil moisture. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity was higher in Korean pine plantation at 825 m and in deciduous broad-leaved forest at 947 m than at the other altitudes, and PPO activity was only positively correlated with soil pH, suggesting that soil acidity was a major factor influencing PPO activity. Soil nutrient and water contents were important factors that influenced the distribution of soil hydrolase along altitude in temperate forest ecosystem.

GUO Zhi-ming, ZHANG Xin-yu, LI Dan-dan, DONG Wen-ting, LI Mei-ling. Characteristics of soil organic carbon and related exo-enzyme activities at different altitudes in temperate forests.[J]. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 2017, 28(9): 2888-2896.

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