Effects of Forest Vegetation Restoration on Soil Organic Carbon and Its Labile Fractions in the Danxia Landform of China

Abstract

The Danxia landform is a unique red bed landform in China. The effects of vegetation restoration on soil organic carbon (SOC) components are still poorly understood in the Danxia landform region of southwest China. In this study, soil samples were collected from selected five different vegetation restoration types (shrub (SH), mixed conifer–broadleaf forest (MCBF), evergreen broad-leaved forest (EBF), Chinese fir forest (CFF), and bamboo forest (BF)) at 0–30 cm depth to discuss the concentrations and stocks of SOC and its labile organic carbon (LOC) fractions ((dissolved organic C (DOC), microbial biomass C (MBC), and easily oxidized organic C (EOC)) and their relationship with soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities. The results indicated that the contents of SOC and LOC fractions as well as SOC stocks declined with increasing soil depth in five vegetation restoration types. At 0–30 cm depth, BF and CFF showed higher the average concentrations and total stocks of SOC and EOC compared with SH, EBF, and MCBF. The highest average DOC content was in BF, but no significant differences was observed in the total DOC stocks among five vegetation restoration types. BF and EBF showed significantly greater average MBC concentrations and total MBC stocks than other vegetation restoration types. SOC and its LOC fractions were positively correlated with soil moisture and three enzyme activities in different degrees under the five vegetation restoration types and closely related with total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) except for TP of CFF and BF and negatively affected by pH (except for CFF and the DOC and MBC of MCBF) and BD. Generally, soil TN, TP, and invertase were found to be the main driver factors for soil carbon accumulation. However, the overall levels of SOC and its labile fractions indicate that BF had the strongest carbon storage capacity, followed by CFF and EBF. This study can provide a good reference for ecosystem management and the selection of appropriate restoration strategies in Danxia landform regions.