Disturbances can control fine-scale pedodiversity in old-growth forest: is the soil evolution theory disturbed as well?

Abstract

Abstract. Biota–soil interaction in natural ecosystems is an area of considerable research. Our hypothesis is that individual trees play a significant role through biomechanical and biochemical disturbances in soil formation in temperate forest resulting in complex spatial pattern of disturbance regimes and a close relationship between disturbance histories and soil units. In Žofínský Prales (Czech Republic) – the fourth oldest, continuously protected reserve in Europe and the only SIGEO site in continental Europe – in time and space we compared extensive dendrochronological, soil and pit-mound microtopography data on an area of 42.01 ha collected in 2008–2012. The datasets differ in terms of information complexity and length of memory. Tree cores contain complex information about disturbance history of the past 350 years, footprints of the specific tree uprooting disturbance can persist 1700 years, and soils representing extensive composite phenotype have been developing for at least the entire postglacial period (10 500 years). On average, 6.18–13.41% of the canopy was disturbed on individual soil units per decade. Even though the "backbone" of key events in the development of the forest ecosystem remained the same (e.g. the 1870s, 1880s and 1980s), the internal structure of disturbance history often differed among soil units; the most exceptional were Gleysols and Histosols, where important feedback from soil to trees was expected. However characteristics of treethrow dynamics as well as frequencies of stronger releases in core series significantly differed also along a gradient of terrestrial soil weathering and leaching (Haplic Cambisols – Dystric Cambisols – Entic Podzols – Albic Podzols). Results suggest the existence of several disturbance regimes within the forest controlling fine-scale pedodiversity.