The effects of post-hurricane forest regeneration methods on soil carbon and nutrient content

Burzyńska, Irena; Łukaszewicz, Jan; Gil, Wojciech; Sztabkowski, Krzysztof

doi:10.2478/ffp-2025-0016

Figures & Tables

The sum of base cations (SBC) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) in soil (O, 0–40 cm depth) as a function of different land management practices of forest areas after the 2017 hurricane disasterSites: 1 – prepared area (ploughing + planting trees in the furrow); 2 – prepared area (ploughing – furrow + planting); 3 – unworked area (direct sowing + planting + sward); 4: unworked area (no tillage + natural tree regeneration); 5 – control site – forest.

The degree of base saturation (BS %) of the soil (O, 0–40 cm depth) sorption complex depending on different land management methods of forest areas after the 2017 hurricane disasterSites: 1 – prepared area (ploughing + planting trees in the furrow); 2 – prepared area (ploughing – furrow + planting); 3 – unworked area (direct sowing + planting + sward); 4 – unworked area (no tillage + natural tree regeneration); 5 – control site – forest.

Selected physicochemical properties of the soil of forest areas

Site	Layer (cm)	Soil fractions (%)			pH value and acidification parameters cmol(+) kg⁻¹			C_org (g·kg⁻¹)	N_tot (g·kg⁻¹)	C:N	Organic matter content (g·kg⁻¹)	Salinity index Na/K
Site	Layer (cm)	Sand	Dust	Loam	pH_CaCl₂	Hh	Hw	C_org (g·kg⁻¹)	N_tot (g·kg⁻¹)	C:N	Organic matter content (g·kg⁻¹)	Salinity index Na/K
1	M	62.61±2.42	35.18±2.16	2.20±0.75	3.83±0.17	6.22±0.90	1.96±0.40	15.87±0.60	0.92±0.03	17.32±0.72	17.59	0.256
2	M	62.15±3.35	34.00±2.90	3.85±0.63	4.06±0.09	3.87±0.70	1.57±0.44	4.16±0.20	0.26±0.01	15.80±1.56	7.17	0.238
3	M	64.52±2.62	32.00±2.65	3.48±0.88	4.00±0.10	5.41±1.29	1.69±0.31	11.36±0.90	0.70±0.05	15.95±0.89	19.58	0.423
4	O	-	-	-	5.12±0.15	4.76±1.66	1.15±0.76	292.08±8.60	0.77±0.05	25.77±2.37	503.54	-
4	M	70.23±1.94	27.23±2.50	2.31±0.44	4.50±0.50	8.98±1.10	1.15±0.69	67.94±12.01	2.89±0.45	17.33±4.59	117.13	0.044
5	O	-	-	-	4.59±0.16	9.05±4.07	2.86±0.91	231.59±11.0	1.34±0.10	22.95±2.65	399.26	-
5	M	65.52±2.08	32.23±2.65	2.25±0.45	3.94±0.37	13.17±9.41	2.44±1.19	62.76±9.82	3.07±0.40	16.40±3.68	5.29	0.086

Spearman non-parametric correlations between the physicochemical parameters in forest soils (n = 88)

Parameter	Spearman r	Level of p

pH_CaCl₂ × SBC	0.316	^**
pH_CaCl₂ × BS	0.531	^***
C_org × N_tot	0.995	^***

C_org × P_tot	0.362	^**
C_org × C:N	0.408	^***
C_org × SBC	0.764	^***
C_org × CEC	0.824	^***
C_org × BS	0.591	^***
P_tot × C:N	0.501	^***

N_tot × C:N	0.408	^**
N_tot × SBC	0.787	^***
N_tot × CEC	0.853	^***

Sand × C:N	0.314	^**
Sand × BS	0.311	^**
Sand × P_tot	0.517	^***

Loam × C_org	–0.364	^**
Dust × C_org	0.506	^***
Dust × N_tot	0.523	^***
Dust × SBC	0.449	^***
Dust × CEC	0.621	^***
Dust × BS	0.249	^*

Hw × SBC	–0.296	^**
Hw × BS	–0.509	^***

Contents of exchangeable cations in the soil of forest areas

Site	Layer (cm)	Na⁺ (cmol(+)·kg⁻¹)	K⁺ (cmol(+)·kg⁻¹)	Mg²⁺ (cmol(+)·kg⁻¹)	Ca²⁺ (cmol(+)·kg⁻¹)	Al³⁺ (cmol(+)·kg⁻¹)	SBC (cmol(+)·kg⁻¹)	CEC (cmol(+)·kg⁻¹)	BS (%)
1	0–5	0.028±0.01	0.134±0.04	0.074±0.02	0.361±0.12	1.212±0.09	0.597±0.16	2.08±0.22	28.48±6.02
	5–10	0.038±0.01	0.136±0.05	0.188±0.05	1.052±0.32	1.265±0.16	1.414±0.34	3.07±0.49	45.79±7.55
	10–20	0.036±0.01	0.144±0.09	0.215±0.09	1.106±0.46	1.185±0.36	1.502±0.63	3.09±0.40	47.96±14.43
	20–40	0.040±0.01	0.094±0.094	0.071±0.03	0.330±0.11	1.329±0.21	0.535±0.18	2.05±0.16	25.89±7.08
	Mean±SD	0.036±0.01A	0.127±0.06A	0.137±0.08B	0.713±0.46B	1.247±0.21A	1.012±0.57B	2.57±0.36B	37.03±10.23B
2	0–5	0.023±0.01	0.113±0.02	0.068±0.02	0.262±0.31	1.074±0.17	0.467±0.05	1.67±0.11	28.12±4.08
	5–10	0.023±0.01	0.089±0.01	0.056±0.02	0.285±0.20	1.074±0.18	0.454±0.23	1.58±0.25	28.11±11.02
	10–20	0.034±0.01	0.073±0.01	0.044±0.02	0.262±0.16	1.018±0.11	0.413±0.18	1.47±0.16	27.64±9.23
	20–40	0.061±0.03	0.070±0.01	0.046±0.01	0.216±0.04	0.881±0.22	0.395±0.04	1.35±0.26	29.95±5.20
	Mean±SD	0.036±0.02A	0.087±0.06B	0.054±0.02B	0.256±0.12B	1.00±0.17B	0.433±0.14B	1.52±0.22B	28.46±7.19B
3	0–5	0.039±0.01	0.180±0.05	0.211±0.01	1.471±1.02	0.987±0.28	1.901±1.16	3.15±0.84	56.04±22.43
	5–10	0.030±0.01	0.116±0.04	0.116±0.07	0.841±0.50	1.140±0.22	1.103±0.61	2.53±0.46	41.35±17.82
	10–20	0.028±0.01	0.073±0.01	0.039±0.01	0.243±0.08	1.230±0.59	0.383±0.12	1.70±0.24	22.11±4.31
	20–40	0.031±0.01	0.063±0.02	0.033±0.01	0.165±0.04	0.926±0.05	0.383±0.12	1.88±1.27	21.87±4.53
	Mean±SD	0.032±0.01A	0.108±0.05B	0.100±0.02B	0.680±0.74B	1.070±0.20B	0.944±0.88B	2.32±0.48B	35.34±16.77B
	O	0.103±0.02	1.901±0.04	5.702±0.67	27.506±0.86	0.027±0.01	35.21±1.65	36.22±2.08	97.25±1.13
4	0–5	0.021±0.01	0.282±0.09	0.727±0.02	3.802±1.36	0.369±0.28	4.839±1.63	5.32±1.57	90.15±6.41
	5–10	0.021±0.01	0.172±0.01	0.351±0.03	2.356±1.45	0.934±0.51	2.900±1.60	4.15±1.19	67.32±6.02
	10–20	0.028±0.01	0.109±0.02	0.249±0.02	1.673±1.41	1.007±0.59	2.059±1.60	3.3301.32	67.51±8.02
	20–40	0.035±0.02	0.084±0.04	0.245±0.01	1.655±1.22	0.668±0.43	2.020±0.86	2.8101.15	67.14±25.41
	Mean±SD	0.043±0.03A	0.510±0.74A	1.455±0.03A	7.398±1.45A	0.700±0.53B	9.406±1.62A	10.37±1.44A	75.88±22.40A
	O	0.104±0.03	1.175±0.026	3.782±0.45	19.671±2.90	0.141±0.06	24.73±1.65	25.57±3.75	96.73±0.89
5	0–5	0.057±0.01	0.360±0.05	0.684±0.02	3.006±0.76	1.186±0.08	4.107±0.86	6.00±0.77	68.01±7.55
	5–10	0.028±0.01	0.143±0.02	0.168±0.04	0.510±0.13	2.300±0.50	0.805±1.60	3.65±0.58	19.64±3.80
	10–20	0.057±0.01	0.115±0.01	0.123±0.05	0.330±0.18	2.297±0.58	0.626±0.21	3.15±0.66	19.64±3.80
	20–40	0.037±0.01	0.121±0.04	0.210±0.02	0.679±0.64	1.916±0.60	1.040±0.22	3.13±1.42	28.74±14.95
	Mean±SD	0.057±0.03A	0.382±0.43A	0.992±0.09AB	4.839±2.60AB	1.574±0.92A	6.271±0.96AB	8.30±2.36AB	47.28±12.40B

pH and content of total forms of mineral elements in the soil of forest areas

Site	Layer (cm)	pH_CaCl₂	C_org (g·kg⁻¹)	N_tot (g·kg⁻¹)	C:N	P_tot (mg·kg⁻¹)	K_tot (mg·kg⁻¹)	Ca_tot (mg·kg⁻¹)	Mg_tot (mg·kg⁻¹)	Na_tot (mg·kg⁻¹)
1	0–5	3.74±0.25	13.15±0.30	0.75±0.02	17.35±0.51	294.2±47.0	580.2±62.71	362.7±32.01	626.0±17.61	55.4±11.34
	5–10	3.79±0.08	21.62±0.48	1.23±0.03	16.95±0.52	318.7±38.84	577.0±45.85	506.5±111.10	627.7±47.23	56.1±11.33
	10–20	3.90±0.22	19.56±0.38	1.12±0.02	17.42±0.83	318.5±57.25	589.5±47.79	553.5±112.50	659.0±23.60	49.9±4.44
	20–40	3.88±0.09	9.14±0.08	0.52±0.01	17.57±1.05	290.0±25.49	577.5±24.54	364.3±31.05	672.5±53.13	54.8±2.86
	Mean±SD	3.83±0.17B	15.87±0.60B	0.92±0.03AB	17.32±0.72A	305.4±1.46A	581.0±42.58B	446.7±97.54B	646.3±40.15B	54.1±7.95A
2	0–5	4.03±0.13	6.66±0.12	0.41±0.01	16.02±0.56	279.5±17.97	592.2±35.26	331.7±23.51	676.5±37.83	54.6±2.30
	5–10	4.06±0.10	4.73±0.09	0.29±0.01	16.32±1.03	285.7±25.38	638.0±81.47	324.73±31.92	728.0±97.00	59.4±10.5
	10–20	4.08±0.09	3.54±0.03	0.22±0.01	15.77±0.31	289.2±36.08	680.5±96.30	362.0±34.88	767.2±59.20	60.5±7.12
	20–40	4.05±0.10	1.71±0.05	0.11±0.01	15.10±3.11	303.2±72.33	790.2±87.22	373.2±24.10	878.2±47.28	73.6±7.16
	Mean±SD	4.06±0.10B	4.16±0.20B	0.26±0.01B	15.81±1.56A	289.4±39.76A	675.2±88.81B	347.9±26.76B	762.5±65.33B	62.0±9.83A
3	0–5	3.98±0.12	21.84±0.91	1.33±0.01	16.37±0.87	332.0±20.9	620.5±19.74	521.7±20.06	607.2±35.48	60.6±8.86
	5–10	3.96±0.08	14.34±0.42	0.86±0.03	16.67±0.71	316.2±24.33	568.0±6.48	402.5±20.54	614.5±34.18	56.3±5.16
	10–20	3.99±0.12	6.04±0.12	0.38±0.01	15.87±0.22	309.2±48.63	614.5±9.75	325.7±20.16	668.0±36.23	56.8±4.67
	20–40	4.08±0.05	3.20±0.03	0.20±0.01	14.90±0.51	290.5±46.89	704.0±22.68	391.5±24.61	699.2±42.31	62.1±1.70
	Mean±SD	4.00±0.10B	11.36±0.8B	0.70±0.04AB	15.96±0.89A	312.0±36.81A	626.7±56.77B	410.4±20.23B	647.2±36.55B	58.9±6.61A
	O	5.12±0.15	292.08±8.60	11.34±0.34	25.77±2.37	951.2±87.51	1639.2±441.60	16,077.2±49.67	1533.7±31.76	53.6±7.59
4	0–5	4.68±0.50	19.71±0.63	1.27±0.03	15.32±1.00	221.0±10.30	982.2±307.98	1142.7±71.28	896.7±45.64	51.4±3.27
	5–10	4.16±0.40	14.10±0.40	0.92±0.02	15.22±1.00	190.5±27.50	966.5±292.61	814.5±72.35	901.7±34.41	53.3±5.57
	10–20	4.16±0.41	9.00±0.23	0.58±0.02	15.50±1.73	168.2±39.93	985.5±337.85	688.5±43.56	934.0±31.45	53.4±2.14
	20–40	4.42±0.36	4.82±0.09	0.32±0.03	14.82±1.89	138.5±29.85	907.5±444.80	681.5±43.40	929.7±38.28	58.4±9.56
	Mean±SD	4.50±0.51A	67.94±12.0A	2.89±0.45AB	17.33±4.59A	333.9±46.25A	1096.2±410.4A	3880.9±68.21A	1039.0±35.87A	54.0±6.05A
	O	4.59±0.16	231.59±11.0	10.05±0.42	22.92±2.65	720.5±46.52	1379.0±195.08	6298.7±301.50	1274.5±23.50	44.9±9.73
5	0–5	3.84±0.23	46.88±0.75	2.97±0.04	15.77±0.77	335.5±38.21	1108.7±337.08	972.5±25.67	918.5±28.81	62.7±11.7
	5–10	3.61±0.08	19.54±0.37	1.28±0.02	15.27±0.77	234.7±37.02	989.7±287.77	442.7±25.47	951.2±25.53	50.2±3.11
	10–20	3.75±0.08	10.83±0.10	0.74±0.10	14.65±0.72	204.2±16.21	1047.7±371.38	447.7±64.04	1042.7±30.52	61.6±17.21
	20–40	3.90±0.10	4.94±0.05	0.37±0.06	13.92±1.34	202.0±10.10	1326.0±601.92	526.2±56.74	1297.7±34.52	62.3±11.25
	Mean±SD	3.94±0.40B	62.76±9.8A	3.07±0.40A	16.40±3.68A	339.4±42.45A	1170.2±366.8A	1737.6±48.56A	1096.9±34.24A	56.3±12.74A

The effects of post-hurricane forest regeneration methods on soil carbon and nutrient content

Figures & Tables

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

Selected physicochemical properties of the soil of forest areas

Spearman non-parametric correlations between the physicochemical parameters in forest soils (n = 88)

Contents of exchangeable cations in the soil of forest areas

pH and content of total forms of mineral elements in the soil of forest areas

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