Forest plantations reduce soil functioning in terrestrial ecosystems from South Africa

Adenike Eunice Amoo; Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo; Olubukola Oluranti Babalola

doi:10.1016/j.pedobi.2021.150757

Forest plantations reduce soil functioning in terrestrial ecosystems from South Africa

Adenike Eunice Amoo, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, Olubukola Oluranti Babalola

Western Sydney University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The role of forest plantations in regulating soil ecosystem functions remains poorly understood in terrestrial ecosystems from Africa. Here, we evaluated the importance of forest plantations in regulating soil microbial functional profiles, community-level physiological profiles (CLPPs) and activities of soil microbial communities compared with native forests in two contrasting seasons. We found that forest plantations consistently reduced the rates of multiple soil functions associated with soil nutrient and carbon (C) cycling and shifted the activity and functional profile of microbial communities in two contrasting seasons and two independent regions from South Africa. Our results suggest land use changes from natural forests to plantations to maintain a continuously growing human population will have important negative consequences for soil functions in forest ecosystems from Africa with implications for ecosystem functioning under changing environments.

Original language	English
Article number	150757
Number of pages	7
Journal	Pedobiologia
Volume	89
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedobi.2021.150757
Publication status	Published - 2021

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10.1016/j.pedobi.2021.150757

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title = "Forest plantations reduce soil functioning in terrestrial ecosystems from South Africa",

abstract = "The role of forest plantations in regulating soil ecosystem functions remains poorly understood in terrestrial ecosystems from Africa. Here, we evaluated the importance of forest plantations in regulating soil microbial functional profiles, community-level physiological profiles (CLPPs) and activities of soil microbial communities compared with native forests in two contrasting seasons. We found that forest plantations consistently reduced the rates of multiple soil functions associated with soil nutrient and carbon (C) cycling and shifted the activity and functional profile of microbial communities in two contrasting seasons and two independent regions from South Africa. Our results suggest land use changes from natural forests to plantations to maintain a continuously growing human population will have important negative consequences for soil functions in forest ecosystems from Africa with implications for ecosystem functioning under changing environments.",

author = "Amoo, {Adenike Eunice} and Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo and Babalola, {Olubukola Oluranti}",

year = "2021",

doi = "10.1016/j.pedobi.2021.150757",

language = "English",

volume = "89",

journal = "Pedobiologia",

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T1 - Forest plantations reduce soil functioning in terrestrial ecosystems from South Africa

AU - Amoo, Adenike Eunice

AU - Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel

AU - Babalola, Olubukola Oluranti

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - The role of forest plantations in regulating soil ecosystem functions remains poorly understood in terrestrial ecosystems from Africa. Here, we evaluated the importance of forest plantations in regulating soil microbial functional profiles, community-level physiological profiles (CLPPs) and activities of soil microbial communities compared with native forests in two contrasting seasons. We found that forest plantations consistently reduced the rates of multiple soil functions associated with soil nutrient and carbon (C) cycling and shifted the activity and functional profile of microbial communities in two contrasting seasons and two independent regions from South Africa. Our results suggest land use changes from natural forests to plantations to maintain a continuously growing human population will have important negative consequences for soil functions in forest ecosystems from Africa with implications for ecosystem functioning under changing environments.

AB - The role of forest plantations in regulating soil ecosystem functions remains poorly understood in terrestrial ecosystems from Africa. Here, we evaluated the importance of forest plantations in regulating soil microbial functional profiles, community-level physiological profiles (CLPPs) and activities of soil microbial communities compared with native forests in two contrasting seasons. We found that forest plantations consistently reduced the rates of multiple soil functions associated with soil nutrient and carbon (C) cycling and shifted the activity and functional profile of microbial communities in two contrasting seasons and two independent regions from South Africa. Our results suggest land use changes from natural forests to plantations to maintain a continuously growing human population will have important negative consequences for soil functions in forest ecosystems from Africa with implications for ecosystem functioning under changing environments.

UR - https://hdl.handle.net/1959.7/uws:65257

U2 - 10.1016/j.pedobi.2021.150757

DO - 10.1016/j.pedobi.2021.150757

M3 - Article

SN - 0031-4056

VL - 89

JO - Pedobiologia

JF - Pedobiologia

M1 - 150757

ER -

Forest plantations reduce soil functioning in terrestrial ecosystems from South Africa

Abstract

Open Access - Access Right Statement

UN SDGs

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