Soil Nutrients in Sandy Plantations Are Related to the Species, Diameter at Breast Height or at Base, and Distance from the Tree Base in Horqin

Correctly understanding existing plantations and improving the cycles and effects of ecological restoration in sandy areas have become important scientific issues. Consequently, we selected different diameters at breast height (DBHs) for <i>Populus</i> spp. and <i>Pinus sylvestris&...

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Main Authors: Hongshun Liu, Rencang Bu, Yu Chang, Li Qi, Chang Chang, Zhibin Zhang, Lujia Zhao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Land
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/2/406
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author Hongshun Liu
Rencang Bu
Yu Chang
Li Qi
Chang Chang
Zhibin Zhang
Lujia Zhao
author_facet Hongshun Liu
Rencang Bu
Yu Chang
Li Qi
Chang Chang
Zhibin Zhang
Lujia Zhao
author_sort Hongshun Liu
collection DOAJ
description Correctly understanding existing plantations and improving the cycles and effects of ecological restoration in sandy areas have become important scientific issues. Consequently, we selected different diameters at breast height (DBHs) for <i>Populus</i> spp. and <i>Pinus sylvestris</i> var. <i>mongolica</i> (<i>P. sylvestris</i> var. <i>mongolica</i>) and varying diameters at the base (DBs) of <i>Caragana microphylla</i> Lam. (<i>C. microphylla</i>) as research subjects in the sandy plantations in northwestern Liaoning Province. Soil samples were collected along a gradient at distances of 20 cm, 60 cm, and 120 cm from the tree base. Our objective was to investigate the connections among various afforestation species, DBHs or DBs (age), and soil nutrients. The results from our study area revealed that (1) the soil nutrient contents were extremely low; (2) the DBHs or DBs were not significantly related to soil exchangeable phosphorus (EP), total potassium (TK), or <i>Pondus Hydrogenii</i> (pH) but had a significant or moderately positive correlation with soil organic carbon (SOC), exchangeable potassium (EK), total nitrogen (TN), total carbon (TC), and total phosphorus (TP). The most significant relationship was with EK at a distance of 20 cm from the tree base; (3) the three afforestation species presented different trends in terms of the soil nutrient contents among the different distances from the tree base; and (4) the EK in the <i>Populus</i> spp. plantations was significantly greater than that in the <i>P. sylvestris</i> var. <i>mongolica</i> plantations and moderately significantly greater than that in the <i>C. microphylla</i> plantations. The pH levels in <i>P. sylvestris</i> var. <i>mongolica</i> plantations were significantly lower than those in <i>Populus</i> spp. plantations and <i>C. microphylla</i> plantations. Our study provides valuable insights into the synergistic development between sandy plantations and soil dynamics. This study provides important evidence for selecting suitable plant species for vegetation restoration and improvement efforts in sandy lands.
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spelling doaj-art-d74b3ef0f5454b938c0099b41f72708f2025-08-20T03:12:09ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2025-02-0114240610.3390/land14020406Soil Nutrients in Sandy Plantations Are Related to the Species, Diameter at Breast Height or at Base, and Distance from the Tree Base in HorqinHongshun Liu0Rencang Bu1Yu Chang2Li Qi3Chang Chang4Zhibin Zhang5Lujia Zhao6CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, ChinaSchool of Management, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang 110034, ChinaSchool of Tourism, Bohai University, Jinzhou 121000, ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, ChinaCorrectly understanding existing plantations and improving the cycles and effects of ecological restoration in sandy areas have become important scientific issues. Consequently, we selected different diameters at breast height (DBHs) for <i>Populus</i> spp. and <i>Pinus sylvestris</i> var. <i>mongolica</i> (<i>P. sylvestris</i> var. <i>mongolica</i>) and varying diameters at the base (DBs) of <i>Caragana microphylla</i> Lam. (<i>C. microphylla</i>) as research subjects in the sandy plantations in northwestern Liaoning Province. Soil samples were collected along a gradient at distances of 20 cm, 60 cm, and 120 cm from the tree base. Our objective was to investigate the connections among various afforestation species, DBHs or DBs (age), and soil nutrients. The results from our study area revealed that (1) the soil nutrient contents were extremely low; (2) the DBHs or DBs were not significantly related to soil exchangeable phosphorus (EP), total potassium (TK), or <i>Pondus Hydrogenii</i> (pH) but had a significant or moderately positive correlation with soil organic carbon (SOC), exchangeable potassium (EK), total nitrogen (TN), total carbon (TC), and total phosphorus (TP). The most significant relationship was with EK at a distance of 20 cm from the tree base; (3) the three afforestation species presented different trends in terms of the soil nutrient contents among the different distances from the tree base; and (4) the EK in the <i>Populus</i> spp. plantations was significantly greater than that in the <i>P. sylvestris</i> var. <i>mongolica</i> plantations and moderately significantly greater than that in the <i>C. microphylla</i> plantations. The pH levels in <i>P. sylvestris</i> var. <i>mongolica</i> plantations were significantly lower than those in <i>Populus</i> spp. plantations and <i>C. microphylla</i> plantations. Our study provides valuable insights into the synergistic development between sandy plantations and soil dynamics. This study provides important evidence for selecting suitable plant species for vegetation restoration and improvement efforts in sandy lands.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/2/406sandafforestation speciesduration of afforestationsoil nutrientsgradient analysis
spellingShingle Hongshun Liu
Rencang Bu
Yu Chang
Li Qi
Chang Chang
Zhibin Zhang
Lujia Zhao
Soil Nutrients in Sandy Plantations Are Related to the Species, Diameter at Breast Height or at Base, and Distance from the Tree Base in Horqin
Land
sand
afforestation species
duration of afforestation
soil nutrients
gradient analysis
title Soil Nutrients in Sandy Plantations Are Related to the Species, Diameter at Breast Height or at Base, and Distance from the Tree Base in Horqin
title_full Soil Nutrients in Sandy Plantations Are Related to the Species, Diameter at Breast Height or at Base, and Distance from the Tree Base in Horqin
title_fullStr Soil Nutrients in Sandy Plantations Are Related to the Species, Diameter at Breast Height or at Base, and Distance from the Tree Base in Horqin
title_full_unstemmed Soil Nutrients in Sandy Plantations Are Related to the Species, Diameter at Breast Height or at Base, and Distance from the Tree Base in Horqin
title_short Soil Nutrients in Sandy Plantations Are Related to the Species, Diameter at Breast Height or at Base, and Distance from the Tree Base in Horqin
title_sort soil nutrients in sandy plantations are related to the species diameter at breast height or at base and distance from the tree base in horqin
topic sand
afforestation species
duration of afforestation
soil nutrients
gradient analysis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/2/406
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AT zhibinzhang soilnutrientsinsandyplantationsarerelatedtothespeciesdiameteratbreastheightoratbaseanddistancefromthetreebaseinhorqin
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