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

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

[i] M – mineral soil layer (0–40 cm), O – organic layer; sites: 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.

Table 2.

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

[i] B – significant differences between the average values of the studied parameters; sites: 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 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 disaster
Sites: 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.

Table 3.

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

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 disaster
Sites: 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.

Table 4.

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	^***

* – p < 0.05;

** – 0.01;

*** – 0.001;

BS – the basa saturation; CEC – cation change capacity; SBC – the cation change capacity.

References

Authors

Metrics

Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ffp-2025-0016 | Journal eISSN: 2199-5907 | Journal ISSN: 0071-6677

Journal RSS Feed

Language: English

Page range: 208 - 219

Submitted on: May 16, 2025

Accepted on: Jun 25, 2025

Published on: Sep 14, 2025

Published by: Polish Academy of Sciences, Committee on Forest Sciences and Wood Technology and Forest Research Institute

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Keywords:

Related subjects:

© 2025 Irena Burzyńska, Jan Łukaszewicz, Wojciech Gil, Krzysztof Sztabkowski, published by Polish Academy of Sciences, Committee on Forest Sciences and Wood Technology and Forest Research Institute
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Volume 67 (2025): Issue 3 (September 2025)

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

Figures & Tables

Table 1.

Table 2.

Figure 1.

Table 3.

Figure 2.

Table 4.

Paradigm

My account