Effects of forest management on the carbon-nitrogen ratio of litter in temperate forests
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29298/rmcf.v17i96.1654Keywords:
Temperate forests, organic carbon, litter, total nitrogen, C:N ratio, silvicultural treatmentsAbstract
In temperate forests, carbon storage is distributed among biomass, mineral soil, and litter. The latter acts as both a carbon source and a carbon sink, as it accumulates plant debris that, through microbial decomposition, promotes the formation of stable organic matter in the soil and controls the gradual release of labile organic compounds. This study assessed the impact of various silvicultural treatments on the carbon-nitrogen ratio in the litter of managed Pinus patula forests in the Emiliano Zapata ejido, Chignahuapan, state of Puebla, Mexico. Circular sampling plots of 1 000 m2 were established, 18 of them distributed across stands treated with Regeneration cutting (RGC), Release cutting (RC), Thinning 2 (T2), and Thinning 3 (T3), and five in stands with Selective logging (SL). The basal area of the tree stand was estimated, and the litter was sampled in two layers (LL: leaf litter and FE: fermentation); the soil variables of temperature, moisture, and pH were measured. In the laboratory, organic carbon (OC) and total nitrogen (TN) were determined, and the C:N ratio was calculated for both layers using general linear models with a gamma distribution and effects modeled using a Structural partial equation model. The C:N ratio was found to differ between LL and FE; the treatment with the most open canopy (RGC) had the greatest influence on the forest floor microclimate. Therefore, silvicultural treatments modulate soil and climate conditions, affecting the decomposition of organic matter and carbon sequestration in the litter layer.
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