Effects of deforestation and land uses on some chemical and microbial properties of soil in northern Iran (a case study: Salim Sheykh area of Sari)

Deforestation and poor farming practices are two factors that seriously threaten natural resources and seriously damage the soil productivity. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of deforestation and land use on some chemical and microbial properties of soil in different layers of evangelical forest, Citrus Garden and wheat farm soils in Sari township. Organic matter content, total nitrogen, carbon and nitrogen of microbial biomass were significantly reduced when evangelical forest converted to wheat farm (in all three layers) and citrus garden (in two layers of 0-10 and 10-20 cm). When evangelical forest converted to wheat farm (in first layer) organic matter, total nitrogen, carbon and nitrogen of microbial biomass were reduced 35.5, 51.2, 69.7 and 59.8%, respectively. Phosphorus availability and microbial respiration were significantly reduced when evangelical forest converted to wheat farm and citrus garden. The amount of reduction for phosphorus availability and microbial respiration were 85.2% and 35.1% respectively for the top layer of wheat farm. Microbial C/N was significantly reduced when evangelical forest transformed to wheat farm and microbial metabolic coefficient was significantly increased when evangelical forest changed to the two other land uses. The urease activity in both land use (citrus garden and wheat farm) and alkaline phosphatase activity were significantly reduced in wheat farm soils. The results of this study showed that changes in the chemical and microbial properties of the soil was more substantial when evangelical forest converted to agriculture land. The most important reasons for reduction of soil quality may be related to the harvesting (in both citrus garden and wheat farm) and the loss of the closed loop of forest, soil tillage (on the farm) and animal manure application.