The spread of Kalmia angustifolia on black spruce forest cutovers contributes to the spatial heterogeneity of soil resources.

ABSTRACT: Kalmia angustifolia is a boreal ericaceous shrub that can rapidly spread on black spruce forest cutovers in eastern Canada, where CPRS (i.e. Cutting with Protection of Regeneration and Soils") is practiced. The proliferation of Kalmia often coincides with a reduction in the growth rate of regenerating black spruce seedlings. We report on a study where we compared the local effects of Kalmia and black spruce seedling patches (i.e. two types of "Vegetation") on chemical and biochemical soil properties in CPRS cutovers within mesic spruce-moss and xeric spruce-lichen ecosystems, as well as in four mature spruce-moss forests (i.e. three "Site Types"). Results from 13C-CPMAS-NMR revealed lower O-alkyl C (i.e. carbohydrates), higher aromatic C (i.e. lignin and other phenolics) and higher carbony

SUBMITTER: Joanisse GD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6013165 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature