Variability of Soil Quality Characteristics in Oak (Quercus castaneifolia) and Monterrey Pine (Pinus radiata) Plantations

The qualitative characteristics of forest soils can change under the influence of complex climatic interactions, soil type, management type, and tree species type. The aim of this study was to investigate the variability of soil quality characteristics in two forest plantations of Quercus castaneifolia C. A. Mey and Pinus radiate D. Don in Wood and PaperForests of Mazandaran Province. In both stands, 36 samples were randomly selected for determination of soil physical characteristics, in one season (autumn), and chemical and biological characteristics, in four seasons (autumn, winter, spring and summer). Physical characteristics (clay, silt, sand, moisture, bulk density and lime), chemical characteristics (pH, EC, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, carbon to nitrogenratio) and soil biology (soil respiration, microbial biomass carbon, fine root biomass, metabolic rate, and urease enzyme activity) were measured. The results of this study showed that the concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus and enzyme urease activity in oak stands was significantly higher than pine stand (p < /span><0.01), but potassium concentrations were significantly (p < /span><0.01) higher in the pine stand. In all seasons, the rate of soil respiration in the pine stand was higher than in the oak, but this difference was only significant in summer (p <0.05). Characteristics such as carbon to nitrogen ratio, soil carbon, microbial biomass carbon, fine root biomass, and metabolic coefficient were significantly higher in pine stand than in oak in all seasons (p <0.01). The results of this study showed that, in the nitrogen cycle, the oak stand, but in relation to the carbon cycle and global warming, the pine stand had more effects on the soil characteristics. Overall, the practical results of this study suggest that, to improve soil conditions in the degraded forestlands in northern parts of Iran, plantation of oak species is preferred.