Assessment of Variability among Humus Forms and Soil Properties in Relation to Tree Species and Forest Operations in the Kheyrud Forest, Nowshahr

Abstract

Tree species and litter play a key role in the functioning of forest ecosystems as influential factors affecting soil ecological processes and the distribution of humus forms. This study investigates the morphology of humus under the litter of different trees on compacted skid trails at different time intervals after skidding operations (6, 10, and 20 years) in the Kheyrud forest, Nowshahr. Each skid trail was identified with three replications in pure beech, beech-hornbeam and mixed beech stands and a total of 81 profiles with dimensions of 30 × 30 cm, drilled and classified using the European Humus Group Proposal (EHGP). According to the results, the mull of the most dominant humus was under the mixed beech litter, while in the pure beech litter the amphi humus was the most abundant form of humus. Three types of humus mull, moder, and amphi were observed in the skid trail under the beech-hornbeam litter. Oligomull was the most abundant form of humus mull in the skid trail under mixed beech litter, while in the trails under pure beech Eumacroamphi, Eumesoamphi, and Hemimoder were the most common forms of humus amphi and moder. Also, the thickness of the organic layer (Organic litter, Organic fragmentation, and Organic humus) was higher in all skid trails under the pure beech litter as compared to other treatments, while from younger trails (6 years) to older trails (20 years), the thickness of the organic-mineral horizon (Ah) increased under the beech mixed litter. We can conclude that different litter types were the main factor to control the presence of different forms of humus after forest operations.