The influence of forest types on manganese content in soils

Abstract The concentrations of available and total Mn were determined in the soils of three different forest ecosystems, i.e. a maquis forest, a beech forest and fir one. The concentrations of total Mn in the deeper mineral horizons reflected the type of patent material, but in the surface layers, the more acidic soil (in the beech forest) had the higher concentrations. This was due to the high concentrations of Mn in the standing leaves and litterfall of beech trees, which brought about high litterfall fluxes of Mn in that forest. However, the concentrations of (DTPA) available Mn was significantly higher in the soil under beech only in the 0–10 cm layer, whereas the fast decomposition of organic matter in the Mediterranean zone resulted in higher concentrations of available Mn in the Ofh soil horizon of the maquis plot. The available Mn did not correlate with soil pH. These findings mean that high concentrations of available Mn do not always entail higher uptake. The soil pH played a predominant role for the high concentrations in the vegetation of the beech forest.