Effect of tree species on soil organic carbon and total nitrogen in a mixed central Zagrosian forest

The aim of this study was to determine the possible difference in the amount of organic carbon and total nitrogen in the soil under the crown of tree species in a semi-arid forest at the level of a single tree. Also, the pattern of possible differences between these two main soil materials was observed in different size classes of trees and in top- and subsoil. For this purpose, 60 trees from four species of juniper (Juniperus excelsa), narrow-leafed ash (Fraxinus angustifolia), Brant's oak (Quercus brantii) and hawthorn (Crataegus azarolus) were randomly selected in a mixed stand of central Zagrosian forest that had been enclosd for over 30 years. The amounts of organic carbon and total nitrogen of topsoil (0-15 cm) and subsoil (15-50 cm) were measured and compared. The results showed that, first, both the amount of soil organic carbon and the total nitrogen from the samples beneath the tree crowns were higher than their corresponding values in soils outside the crowns. Second, only the amounts of soil organic carbon were affected by the species, and these values ranged from a minimum of 1.37% in topsoil and 0.52% in subsoil for hawthorn, to maximum values of 1.64 and 0.73 percent for Juniper in top- and subsoil, respectively. Third, the amount of total nitrogen in the soil with an average of 0.21 and 0.08 percent of dry weight in top- and subsoils, respectively were the same beneath the crowns of the four species. Fourth, the size of the trees only affected the amount of organic carbon and total nitrogen in the topsoil. This study showed that there is little difference in soil organic carbon and total nitrogen under the canopy of different tree species in a standard Zagros forest and therefore the whole stand may act as a mega-organism and has more or less homogeneous soil.