Influence of forest type, altitude and NDVI on soil properties in forests of North Western Himalaya, India

Distribution of Soil Extracellular Enzymatic, Microbial, and Biological Functions in the C and N-Cycle Pathways Along a Forest Altitudinal Gradient

“…Mn-peroxidase and laccase contribute to lignin degradation, which results in both depolymerization and partial mineralization (Valášková et al, 2007). In the present study, the activities of β-glucosidase, acid phosphatase, N-acetylglucosaminidase, arylsulfatase, and laccase were higher at higher elevations (1,000 to 1,500 m) in beech forests where litter thickness, C and C/N ratios, fine-root biomass, and SM were significantly higher (Banday et al, 2019). Increased C-dependent enzyme activity is likely due to a higher availability of aboveground litterfall (with higher C) and fine-root necromass to soil microorganisms (Feng et al, 2019).…”

“…The tree composition of forests covering the northern part of the Alborz Mountains changes with altitude (Talebi et al, 2013), a condition that is associated with altered soil C and nutrient stocks. The high C stocks at high altitudes can be due to the continuous accumulation of leaf litter and slower decomposition because of the lower temperatures at the higher elevation levels (Banday et al, 2019). The dominance of F. orientalis Lipsky at high elevations may likely contribute to C sequestration, resulting in a higher litter C/N ratio and higher soil C compared with other deciduous forest stands at lower altitudes (Talebi et al, 2013;Kooch and Bayranvand, 2017).…”

“…Compared with other tree species found at low altitudes, the beech forest floor is more recalcitrant to decomposition, which could be due to its lower nutrient contents (Delgado-Baquerizo et al, 2017), higher C/N ratio (Bayranvand et al, 2017a), and high lignin content (Kooch and Bayranvand, 2017). The differences in soil C stocks in the two forest types thus originate from their different vegetation types, as the quantity, and quality of litter are crucial drivers that affect the soil microbial biomass and soil pH (Banday et al, 2019;Massaccesi et al, 2020). Low temperatures at higher altitudes are another factor contributing to the higher C stock, as in cooler climates, soils have higher OM due to a slow mineralization rate and a high forest-floor thickness (Gebrewahid et al, 2018;Banday et al, 2019).…”

“…The differences in soil C stocks in the two forest types thus originate from their different vegetation types, as the quantity, and quality of litter are crucial drivers that affect the soil microbial biomass and soil pH (Banday et al, 2019;Massaccesi et al, 2020). Low temperatures at higher altitudes are another factor contributing to the higher C stock, as in cooler climates, soils have higher OM due to a slow mineralization rate and a high forest-floor thickness (Gebrewahid et al, 2018;Banday et al, 2019). We found that plain mixed forest with species of P. persica, Q. castaneifolia, and C. betulus at low altitudes had higher litter quality (high N and low C/N), higher soil fertilities and N stocks than beech forest stands at higher altitudes.…”

“…Hyrcanian forests are located south of the Caspian Sea in northern Iran and are covered by temperate broadleaf forests (Bayranvand et al, 2017b), which are similar to vegetation in parts of Europe, northern Turkey, and the Caucasus (Talebi et al, 2013). Forest stand composition and climate change with altitude (Talebi et al, 2013), which in turn affect soil microbial and enzyme activities, and nutrient turnover (Gebrewahid et al, 2018;Banday et al, 2019). The aim of the present study was to investigate (i) how a shift in forest stand composition along an altitudinal gradient affects litter and soil chemical properties and soil C and N cycling; (ii) how biological (earthworm, nematode, protozoa, and fine-root biomass), microbial (BR, SIR, and microbial biomass C and N), and enzymatic activity patterns change along an elevation gradient; and (iii) which factors determine C and N stocks across transects.…”