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A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Soil".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 23 June 2025 | Viewed by 10716

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Milton Cesar Costa Campos

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Postgraduate Program in Soil Science, Department of Soil and Rural Engineering, Center of Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Paraiba, Areia 58397-000, PB, Brazil
Interests: pedology; agroforestry soil fertility
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Bruno Campos Mantovanelli

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Postgraduate Program in Environmental Science, Institute of Education, Agriculture and Environment, Federal University of Amazonas, Humaitá 69397-00, AM, Brazil
Interests: agroforestry; soil; fertility
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Dr. Flavio Pereira de Oliveira

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Guest Editor

Postgraduate Program in Soil Science, Department of Soil and Rural Engineering, Center of Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Paraiba, Areia 58397-000, PB, Brazil
Interests: tropical soil; soil physics; soil management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The soils of tropical and subtropical forest environments have undergone changes in recent years, whether due to human action or the impacts of climate change. Thus, soil attributes (physical, chemical and biological) have been changing in this new context, especially the use and management of forest soils. As such, evaluating the behavior of soil attributes for the production of consumer goods, as well as the provision of ecosystem services, becomes a fundamental demand for the maintenance of agricultural production and the supply of drinking water, carbon sequestration and conservation of this important natural resource. The purpose of this Special Issue is to collate articles that aim to verify the influences of different use and management systems on the attributes of tropical and subtropical soils.

Dr. Milton Cesar Costa Campos
Dr. Bruno Campos Mantovanelli
Dr. Flavio Pereira de Oliveira
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

physical attributes of forest soils
chemical attributes of forest soils
biological attributes of forest soils
forest soil management
tropical forest land uses
carbon in forest soils
nutrient input in forest soils

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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17 pages, 8868 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Distribution of Soil Nutrients in the Red Beds of Southern China and Their Responses to Different Land Use Types

by Ping Yan, Ping Zhou, Sha Lei, Zhaowei Tan, Hui Chen and Junxiang Huang

Forests 2025, 16(3), 417; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16030417 - 25 Feb 2025

Viewed by 467

Abstract

This study aims to understand the spatial variability of soil nutrients in red-bed regions and identify the environmental factors driving their distribution. We analyzed the spatial distribution and key drivers of pH, soil organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and their available forms across forestland, cropland, grassland, and bare land in Nanxiong Basin, South China, using principal component analysis, semivariogram analysis, and ordinary Kriging interpolation. Soil organic matter and total nitrogen exhibited moderate variability (CV = 28.64% and 29.81%) driven by topography and vegetation. Available nitrogen showed low variability (CV = 17.91%), reflecting regulation by large-scale ecological processes. In contrast, available phosphorus demonstrated the highest variability (CV = 37.14%), shaped by localized fertilization and erosion. Unique interactions between topography and hydrology were governed by nutrient patterns in grasslands, while anthropogenic homogenization dominated croplands. Semivariogram analysis revealed strong spatial dependency for phosphorus, reflecting natural regulation, while weak dependency for potassium highlighted human-induced randomness. This study also identified capillary water capacity as a key driver in grassland nutrient cycling, adding to our knowledge of soil–water–plant interactions. Together, these findings provide a scientific basis for integrating precision agriculture and ecosystem-based strategies to enhance soil fertility and resilience in red-bed regions under diverse land use conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties)

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14 pages, 4674 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Growth and Energy Characteristics of Arboreal Wood Irrigated with Treated Effluent in Degraded Soil of Semi-Arid Regions

by Victor Junior Lima Felix, Salomão de Sousa Medeiros, Vanderléia Fernanda dos Santos Araújo, Pedro Nicó de Medeiros Neto, Rodrigo Santana Macedo, Robson Vinício dos Santos, Vânia da Silva Fraga and Milton César Costa Campos

Forests 2025, 16(2), 354; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16020354 - 16 Feb 2025

Viewed by 564

Abstract

The management of forest species in the recovery of degraded areas of semi-arid regions is mainly limited by the availability of water and nutrients. Thus, the objective of this research was to evaluate the growth, yield, and energy characteristics of the wood of two forest species of the Brazilian semi-arid region subjected to deficient irrigation with sewage effluent by drip in degraded soil. For this, a field experiment was conducted in an agroforestry system with two native species of the Caatinga biome: sabiá (Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth) and aroeira (Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão), intercropped with forage palm (Opuntia stricta (Haw) Haw). The wastewater used was domestic, coming from kitchen and bathroom sinks, which underwent primary and secondary treatment. The irrigation treatments were applied in the first two years: in the first year, water supply in the volume of 0.5 L/plant/week (WS_0.5), treated effluent in the volume of 0.5 L/plant/week (TE_0.5), and treated effluent in the volume of 1 L/plant/week (TE₁). In the second year, all treatments were leveled at 0.5 L/plant/week, and in the following two years, all irrigation treatments were discontinued. Growth variables were monitored and, at the end of the study period, wood production was calculated and energetic analyses were performed. The Richards model adjusted satisfactorily to the growth variables for the species studied. The treated effluent at a volume of 1 L/week increased the yield in condensed liquid and decreased the volatile materials (VM) of sabiá, while in aroeira it increased the basic density and VM, with a decrease in the gravimetric yield. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties)

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13 pages, 4506 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification of Key Soil Quality Indicators for Predicting Mean Annual Increment in Pinus patula Forest Plantations in Tanzania

by Joshua Maguzu, Salim M. Maliondo, Ilstedt Ulrik and Josiah Zephaniah Katani

Forests 2024, 15(11), 2042; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15112042 - 19 Nov 2024

Viewed by 789

Abstract

There is an unexplored knowledge gap regarding the relationship between soil quality and mean annual increment (MAI) in forest plantations in Tanzania. Therefore, this study aimed to identify soil quality indicators and their impact on the mean annual increment (MAI) of Pinus patula at Sao Hill (SHFP) and Shume forest plantations (SFP) in Tanzania. The forests were stratified into four site classes based on management records. Tree growth data were collected from 3 quadrat plots at each site, resulting in 12 plots in each plantation, while soil samples were taken from 0 to 40 cm soil depth. Analysis of variance examined the variation in soil quality indicators between site classes at two P. patula plantation sites. Covariance analysis assessed the differences in MAI and stand variables across various site classes, taking into account the differing ages of some stands, with stand age serving as a covariate. Linear regression models explored the relationship between soil quality indicators and MAI, while partial least squares regression predicted MAI using soil quality indicators. The results showed that, at SHFP, sand, organic carbon (OC), cation exchange capacity, calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and available P varied significantly between site classes, while silt, clay, and available P varied significantly at SFP. At SHFP, sand and clay content were positively correlated with MAI, while at SFP, silt content, available P (Avail P), potassium (K), Ca, and Mg showed significant positive correlations. Soil quality indicators, including physical and chemical properties (porosity, clay percentages, sand content, and OC) and only chemical (K, Mg, Avail P, and soil pH) properties were better predictors of the forest mean annual increment at SHFP and SFP, respectively. This study underscores the importance of monitoring the quality of soils in enhancing MAI and developing soil management strategies for long-term sustainability in forests production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties)

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13 pages, 3687 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Altitudinal Variation in Soil Acid Phosphomonoesterase Activity in Subalpine Coniferous Forests in China

by Xiaoli He, Shile Dai, Tingting Ma, Tao Zhang, Junbo He and Yanhong Wu

Forests 2024, 15(10), 1729; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15101729 - 29 Sep 2024

Viewed by 906

Abstract

Studying the altitudinal variation and driving factors of soil acid phosphomonoesterase (ACP) activity in subalpine regions is crucial for understanding nutrient cycling processes within mountainous ecosystems. This study focused on fir (Abies fabri (Mast.) Craib) forests located at three altitudes (2781 m, 3044 m, and 3210 m) on the eastern slope of Mt. Gongga in southwest China. We measured soil ACP activity alongside soil climate, nutrients, and microorganisms at various depths and elevations to investigate how these factors influence ACP activity. The results indicated that in the organic matter horizons (Oe and Oa horizons), ACP activity gradually decreased with elevation. However, the surface mineral horizon (A horizon) did not show a decline in ACP activity with increasing elevation, which could be attributed to significantly lower ACP activity recorded at the 2781 m sample site compared to the 3044 m site. Variance partitioning analysis revealed that among soil climate, nutrients, and microorganisms, soil nutrients had the most substantial impact on ACP activity across all horizons, with a particularly high contribution of 89.4% observed in the A horizon. Random forest model analysis further demonstrated that soil total carbon (TC) played a crucial role in determining ACP activity in the Oe and Oa horizons, with importance values of 8.5% and 7.3%, respectively. Additionally, soil total nitrogen (TN) was identified as the primary factor influencing ACP activity in the A horizon, with an importance value of 12.6%. Furthermore, soil ACP activity was positively regulated by the soil TC:TP and TN:TP ratios, indicating a stoichiometric control of ACP activity in the Abies fabri (Mast.) Craib forests on Mt. Gongga. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties)

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15 pages, 2507 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Thinning Practices on Soil Properties and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Natural Pure Oriental Beech Forests

by Şahin Palta, Halil Barış Özel, Tancredo Augusto Feitosa de Souza and Eren Baş

Forests 2024, 15(9), 1643; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15091643 - 18 Sep 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1229

Abstract

Thinning intensities in Fagus orientalis Lipsky. stands may influence the soil properties, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi symbiosis, and their interaction through soil quality enhancement. We aimed to investigate the impact of four thinning intensities—control (no thinning); moderate (15%), moderately intense (35%), and intense thinning (55%)—implemented five years ago in pure oriental beech forests. In this context, the percentage indicates the proportion of trees removed by each thinning intensity, based on the total number of trees before thinning. Our focus encompassed soil physical–chemical properties, AM fungi community composition, and root colonization. At the intense thinning sites, the soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, available potassium, AMF spore density, and root colonization increased by 209.7, 88.9, 115.8, 404.9, and 448.5%, respectively, when compared to the control sites. This suggests a potential rise in AMF spore density and root colonization—a vital aspect for natural regeneration. These findings highlight the importance of considering management practices in forest systems that can enhance the root system in a sustainable manner to improve plant performance, soil fertility, and symbiosis with AM fungi. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties)

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18 pages, 3281 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Partial Organic Substitution Fertilization Improves Soil Fertility While Reducing N Mineralization in Rubber Plantations

by Wenxian Xu, Qiu Yang, Wenjie Liu, Yamin Jiang, Xinwei Guo, Rui Sun, Wei Luo, Mengyang Fang and Zhixiang Wu

Forests 2024, 15(9), 1521; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15091521 - 29 Aug 2024

Viewed by 1086

Abstract

Overuse of chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizers leads to N leaching and soil degradation. Replacing chemical N fertilizers with organic fertilizers can enhance soil nutrition, reduce N loss, and improve soil productivity. However, the effects of combining organic and chemical fertilizers on soil N components and N transformation remain unclear. A 12-year field study included four treatments: no fertilizer (CK), chemical fertilizer alone (CF), 50% chemical N fertilizer combined with co-composted organic fertilizer (CFM), and composted (CFMC) organic fertilizer. The results showed that CFM and CFMC significantly enhanced SOC, TN, LFON, DON, NH₄⁺-N, and MIN levels compared to CF. The CFM and CFMC treatments enhanced the soil N supply capacity and N pool stability by increasing the N mineralization potential (N₀) and decreasing the N0/TN ratio. The CFM and CFMC treatments decreased net N ammonification rates by 108.03%–139.83% and 0.44%–64.91% and net mineralization rates by 60.60%–66.30% and 1.74%–30.38%, respectively. Changes in N transformation have been attributed to increased soil pH, enzyme activity, and substrate availability. These findings suggest that partial organic fertilizer substitution, particularly with co-composted organic fertilizers, is a viable strategy for enhancing soil fertility, improving soil N supply and stability, and reducing N loss in rubber plantations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties)

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11 pages, 2655 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Negative Effects of Tourist Trampling on the Soil Physical Properties and Microbial Community Composition in a Natural Oak Forest

by Qing Shang, Changfu Li and Yanchun Liu

Forests 2024, 15(8), 1419; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081419 - 13 Aug 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1157

Abstract

Tourist trampling is a serious disturbance affecting the soil structure and microbial community in forests. However, it is still unclear whether the response of soil microorganisms to trampling is attributed to the alterations in soil physical (soil bulk density and total porosity) or soil chemical (total nitrogen and soil organic carbon) properties. To determine the response and mechanism of soil microbial community composition to tourist trampling, we conducted a field experiment including four levels of trampling intensity (control, mild, moderate, and severe) at the Baotianman forest ecotourism area. With increasing trampling intensity, soil bulk density showed a substantially increasing pattern, whereas soil total porosity, total nitrogen, and soil organic carbon showed a decreasing trend. Compared to the insignificant change under mild trampling, moderate and severe trampling significantly decreased soil bacterial PLFAs (phospholipid fatty acids) by 46.6% and 57.5%, and fungal PLFAs by 36.3% and 61.5%, respectively. Severe trampling showed a significantly negative effect (−4.37%) on the proportion of soil bacterial PLFAs. Changes in soil bulk density and porosity induced by trampling, rather than total nitrogen and soil organic carbon, played a greater role in regulating soil microbial community composition. These findings suggest that soil microbial community composition and biomass are significantly influenced by the changes in soil texture and aeration conditions caused by tourist trampling. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties)

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15 pages, 5751 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impacts of Tree Species on Soil Properties in Afforested Areas: A Case Study in Central Subtropical China

by Miao Hu, Yiping Wang, Huihu Li, Liping Hu, Qiaoli Liu, Fan Zhou, Aihong Yang, Faxin Yu and Xunzhi Ouyang

Forests 2024, 15(6), 895; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15060895 - 22 May 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1631

Abstract

Afforestation plays a critical role in ecosystem restoration and carbon sequestration. However, there continues to be insufficient knowledge about the long-term effects of different tree species on the forest soil in central subtropical China. In this study, five indigenous afforestation tree species commonly used in the region, including Bretschneidera sinensis, Liriodendron chinense, Schima superba, Phoebe bournei, and Cunninghamia lanceolata, were selected to explore their long-term effects on the forest soil. The soil’s physicochemical properties, organic carbon content, enzyme activity, and respiration were investigated. Our results revealed significant differences in the soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activity, organic carbon content, and soil respiration among the different tree species even with the same tree species types. Broad-leaved species, particularly L. chinense and P. bournei, exhibited superior soil physicochemical properties, higher amounts of organic carbon contents, enzyme activity, and soil respiration compared to coniferous species C. lanceolata. Notably, for the two studied evergreen tree species, P. bournei seemed to improve the forest soil quality more than S. superba. Hence, increasing the proportion of broad-leaved tree species may have a beneficial effect on the soil’s physicochemical properties and microecology. Furthermore, considering tree species’ compositions in afforestation will help to optimize soil quality and ecosystem health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties)

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20 pages, 1275 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

The Impact of Ecological Restoration on Soil Quality in Humid Region Forest Habitats: A Systematic Review

by Wendy Jiba, Alen Manyevere and Chuene Victor Mashamaite

Forests 2024, 15(11), 1941; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15111941 - 4 Nov 2024

Viewed by 1951

Abstract

Ecological restoration is widely recognized as an essential technique for addressing soil degradation, biomass decline, and biodiversity loss. Improving and maintaining soil quality is critical to ensuring environmental sustainability and successful forest recovery. This systematic review aimed to assess the impact of ecological forest restoration efforts on soil quality in humid regions, as well as to compare the effectiveness of various ecological restoration strategies on soil quality indicators. Subsequently, a systematic search on various databases (e.g., Scopus and Google Scholar) yielded 696 records, of which 28 primary studies met the inclusion criteria. The results emphasized that chemical and physical soil properties are the key indicators for assessing ecosystem performance during forest restoration. The most commonly measured parameters were soil carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, pH, bulk density, and soil porosity. It was shown that the restoration process required a longer duration to reach a comparable level of recovery as seen in mature forests, particularly in terms of fully restoring soil quality. Additionally, it has been noted that prior land use influences the length of time needed for soil quality recovery. In planted sites, soil quality may keep improving as the site ages, though it tends to stabilize after a certain period. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties)

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