Conversion of Secondary Forests into Chestnut Forests Affects Soil Nutrients in Anji County, China

Abstract

The maintenance of drinking water safety is a major environmental issue. It is necessary to strengthen environmental protection in water source areas and establish good vegetation coverage. This study examined the effects of secondary forests transformation on chestnut forests on soil nutrient changes in the Fuji Reservoir, Anji County, Zhejiang province, China. Plots were set up in a chestnut plantation and a nearby secondary forest to measure the nutrient contents of soil samples that were collected from different soil depths. Differences of soil nutrient content from the two stands were significant at 0–20 cm soil depth. There were no significant differences in the contents of total phosphorus and total potassium between the two forests; however, the available phosphorus content in chestnut stands was 2.73 mg/kg higher than in secondary forests. Overall, the soil nutrient contents under chestnut stands were lower than those under secondary forests. Some of the soil surface is exposed due to the low diversity of the chestnut forest. The soil nutrients in the chestnut forest are usually carried and transferred in soil particle form and they become dissolved in the runoff during rainfall and lost, which explains the lower soil nutrient contents in the chestnut forest than the secondary forest. Therefore, for economic forests, such as chestnut forests, measures should be taken to protect understory vegetation and enhance soil and water conservation capacity, which is conducive to retaining soil nutrients.