Abstract: One-year-old birch (Betula platyphylla) and larch (Larix olgensis) seedlings were respectively planted in pots with the soils taken from 35-year-old  pure birch and larch plantations, and the seedlings growth, biomass increment, foliar nutrient content, and soil nutrient status were monitored, aimed to evaluate the fertility levels of the two soils and the possible interspecific interaction in mixed larch-birch forest. Birch soil had significantly higher contents of total N and available N than larch soil, while larch soil had significantly higher contents of total P, available P, and total K than birch soil (P<0.05). In the first growth season, the height and collar diameter growth and the biomass accumulation of birch seedlings growing on birch soil were 69%, 52%, and 65% (P<0.05) higher than those growing on larch soil, and the larch seedlings also had 12%, 8%, and 37% gains of the indices, respectively. The foliar N concentration of both larch and birch seedlings growing on birch soil was higher than that on larch soil, while the foliar P concentration was higher when the seedlings were growing on larch soil than on birch soil. The birch soil had higher content of available N because of the higher litterfall, while the larch soil had greater available P because of the higher P mobilizing effect. It was predicted that in mixed birch-larch forest, the complementary interaction of soil N and P could benefit the growth of the two tree species.

Key words: Betula platyphylla, Larix olgensis, soil nutrient, bioassay