Soil Physico-chemical Properties and Microbial Activity in Ecological Restoration Red Soil Region of Subtropical Southern China

Background and Objective: The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of land use and land cover transitions on soil physico-chemical properties, and to comparatively study soil microbial activity in ecological restoration red soil region of subtropical southern China. Methods: A field experiment was conducted in a natural forest, four ecological restoration forests and an adjacent farmland. Based on the stable carbon isotopes of SOM, the δ13C values data confirm the 6 sites for soil sampling in this study were the ideal location for studying land cover transitions. The data showed that the soil physical, chemical and biological properties under the natural forest were significantly healthier than under cultivation. During forest re-growth on farmland, the ecological restoration time were 34, 26, 15 and 10a, respectively, and the SOM content, C/N, soil colony counts, soil basal respiration and soil enzyme activities significantly increased and approached values of virgin forest. Results & Conclusion: In general, the SOM content and soil microbial activities in ecological restoration forest were usually intermediate between the natural forest and farmland, and there was significant (P< 0.05) difference between forest and farmland. The results indicated that, because of appropriate climatic conditions of red soil subtropical southern China, the dynamic balance of soil ecosystems can be reconstructed and restored in several years or decades.