Summary
This field study examined how thinning intensity and water-nitrogen inputs interact with soil and fine root dynamics in Populus tomentosa plantations across a deep soil profile. The research found that thinning improved water availability but constrained nutrient accumulation, whilst water-nitrogen addition shifted fine roots towards an acquisitive strategy—an effect predominantly driven by soil water content after thinning, and by both phosphorus and water content under fertilisation. The findings suggest management-specific soil-root interactions warrant tailored approaches to plantation sustainability.
UK applicability
Direct application to UK conditions is limited, as the study concerns Chinese Populus plantations in a different climate and soil context. However, the conceptual framework linking management intensity to vertical soil-root stratification and nutrient cycling may inform UK agroforestry practice, particularly regarding thinning protocols and irrigation scheduling in tree-based systems.
Key measures
Soil water content (SWC) at multiple depths (0–600 cm), soil nitrogen accumulation, nitrate leaching risk, fine root biomass density, specific root area, soil phosphorus concentration
Outcomes reported
The study measured soil water content, nutrient dynamics, and fine root traits across a 6 metre soil profile under different thinning intensities and water-nitrogen treatments. It identified soil water content and phosphorus as key drivers of fine root strategy shifts in response to management interventions.
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