Comparison of Physical, Chemical and Biological Soil Properties under Norway Spruce, European Beech and Sessile Oak – a Case Study

This study examined the interaction of tree species and soil development in litter and the 0-10 cm mineral topsoil layer in European beech, Norway spruce, and sessile oak forests. It also compared the main soil chemical, physical, and selected microbiological indicators as well as the microbial biomass, basal and substrate induced respiration, lipid phosphate content, phospholipid fatty acid profiles (PLFA), and respiratory quinones (RQ). With Norway spruce, soil pH, clay, and silt content were significantly lower, while exchangeable acidity was higher. This leads to a major loss of exchangeable cations of the upper soil layer resulting in lower base saturation. The microbial metabolic activity and microbial biomass of deciduous forest soils were significantly higher. The respiratory quotient (q) was highest in spruce, indicating disadvantageous circumstances for microbial activity. Our results demonstrate the importance of a complex study of physicochemical and biological soil parameters when investigating the impact of forest management on soil by, for example, providing data for the development of forest condition monitoring activities.