Microbial Community and Enzyme Activity of Forest Plantation, Natural Forests, and Agricultural Land in Chilean Coastal Cordillera Soils
Journal
Forests
ISSN
1999-4907
Date Issued
2023
Author(s)
Yessica Rivas
Humberto Aponte
Francisco Matus
Oscar Martínez
Carolina Encina
Jorge Retamal-Salgado
Type
Resource Types::text::journal::journal article
URL Institutional Repository
Abstract
<jats:p>Despite the global expansion of forest plantations in Chile, their effect on biology properties of soil has still been only scarcely studied. Land use change in the Chilean Coastal Cordillera (36° to 40° S) is mainly attributed to the conversion of native forest to agriculture and forest plantations (Eucalyptus globulus and Pinus radiata de Don). The aim of this paper was to evaluate the changes in microbial composition (PCR-DGGE) and enzyme activity after the substitution of a native forest (e.g., Nothofagus spp.) by fast-growing exotic species and cropping. The most important factors that influence the abundance and diversity of bacteria and the fungi community were the soil organic matter (SOM) content, phosphorous (P-Olsen), calcium (Ca), boron (B), and water-holding capacity. These variables can better predict the microbial community composition and its enzymatic activity in the surface Ah horizon. Land use change also affected chemical soil properties of biogeochemical cycles. However, to deeply understand the connection between chemical and physical soil factors and microbial community composition, more research is needed. On the other hand, the expansion of forest plantations in Chile should be subject to legislation aimed to protect the biological legacy as a strategy for forest productivity as well as the soil microbial biodiversity.</jats:p>
Cite this document
Rivas, Y., Aponte, H., Rivera-Salazar, D., Matus, F., Martínez, O., Encina, C., & Retamal-Salgado, J. (2023). Microbial community and enzyme activity of forest plantation, natural forests, and agricultural land in chilean coastal cordillera soils. Forests, 14(5), 938. https://doi.org/10.3390/f14050938
Subjects
agricultural crops
;
biochemical soil properties
;
eucalyptus plantations
;
land use change
;
soil biodiversity
;
biodiversity
;
expansion
;
farm crops
;
forestry
;
land use
;
microorganisms
;
chile
;
coastal cordillera
;
biodiversity
;
biogeochemistry
;
crops
;
expansion
;
forestry
;
land use
;
microorganisms
;
polymerase chain reaction
;
soils
;
agricultural crops
;
biochemical soil property
;
enzymes activity
;
eucalyptus plantations
;
forest plantation
;
landuse change
;
microbial community composition
;
native forests
;
soil biodiversity
;
soil property
;
agricultural land
;
agricultural soil
;
bacterium
;
biodiversity
;
crop
;
enzyme activity
;
fungus
;
land use change
;
microbial community
;
plantation forestry
;
soil microorganism
;
soil property
;
enzyme activity