Increased plant species composition creates more soil carbon, nitrogen

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BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have disclosed that soil

 water content is improved when 

the plant species community composition is increased.

Soil water and nutrient resources are fundamental for the healthy development

 of agroforestry.

The researchers from the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under

 the Chinese Academy of Sciences hoped to examine the effects of the

 species composition of trees, shrubs and herbs on soil water and nutrients.

They measured the soil water and soil nutrient concentrations including 

carbon, nitrogen, kalium and calcium at six soil depths in a monoculture 

rubber plantation, four multi-species rubber agroforestry systems, and a tropical rainforest.

They found that the soil carbon and nitrogen increased as the plant species 

composition increased. And the soil water content also increased with the

 increased soil carbon and nitrogen.

However, the effects of plant species composition on the soil water content

 gradually changed from positive to negative, especially under the effects of 

herb species, which could accelerate soil water drainage and hence shorten

 the soil water residence time.

Thus the researchers concluded that the faster water infiltration and potentially

 higher flow of soil water in complex plant communities increased the risk and

 magnitude of mineral nutrient leaching.

Meanwhile, the increased plant composition decreased the concentration of

 soil nutrients, especially soil phosphorous, kalium and calcium.

The research, recently published in the journal Science of the Total Environment,

 is expected to be helpful for selecting suitable plant species by keeping the

 management of agriculture and forestry balanced