Study on soil detritivors and microbial activity in understory of broad-leaved pure and mixed stands in Caspian forests

The activity of terrestrial organisms and their populations is an appropriate index for assessing the quality and health of the soil in forest ecosystems, which related to the fertility, and reproduction of the habitat. Current research studied the effect of four forest stands with different composition of Fagus/Carpinus/ Alnus/Diospyros (600 -700 m), Fagus/Carpinus/Alnus (1100 - 1200 m), Fagus/Carpinus (1600 -1700 m) and pure Fagus (2100 - 2200 m) located in Golband district of Noushahr, on litter and soil qualitative characters. In each of forest stands, eight organic and mineral samples (25×25 area to 30 cm soil depth) were taken and transferred to the laboratory. To investigate the difference and or non-difference the studied characteristics among different forest stands, one-way ANOVA and the Duncan multiple tests were employed. The litter (carbon and nitrogen contents) and soil (water content, pH, organic C, total N, earthworm density/biomass, nematode density and microbial activities) properties were measured. According to results, the maximum of soil earthworms (with higher ratio of epigeic) and nematodes recorded under Fagus mixed with Carpinus, Alnus and Diospyros. In addition, tree diversity in mixed stand of Fagus/Carpinus/Alnus/Diospyros improved microbial activities (i.e. basal respiration, substrate induced respiration, microbial biomass C and N, microbial and metabolic quotients and carbon availability index) compared to the other studied forest stands. PCA is indicating the outstanding effects of soil organic and mineral layers on the variation of soil biological properties. The result of this research shows the positive role of tree species diversity in improving qualitative and soil health.