Effects of Forest Type on Nutrient Fluxes in Throughfall, Stemflow, and Litter Leachate within Acid-Polluted Locations in Southwest China

Abstract

Although new inputs of acidic anions are decreasing, soil acidification still deserves more academic attention because of the effects of historical stores of SO42− already absorbed into soils. Forest canopy has large, species-specific effects on rainwater chemistry, for which the hydrological mechanism remains unclear. We investigated precipitation, throughfall, stemflow, and litter leachate across three forest types in a severely acid-polluted site located in Southwest China. Precipitation monitored over 4 months, representing summer, fall, winter, and spring, indicated neutral precipitation in Tieshanping with pH ranging from 6.58–7.33. Throughfall and litter leachate in Pinus massoniana Lamb. stands were enriched with greater cation and anion fluxes, as well as more dissolved organic carbon (DOC) flux. Rainwater from pure stands of Cinnamomum camphora (Linn) Presl yielded lower N and DOC inputs to soils with higher base saturation, which would reduce soil acidification and, therefore, improve the sustainability of forest ecosystems.