Aboveground and Belowground Input Effects on Soil Health in Urban Camphor Tree Forests

Xuejia Huang, Yuanying Peng, Wende Yan, Tianyi Yan, Xiaocui Liang, Junjie Lei, Xiaoyong Chen () and Yaqin Qi ()
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Xuejia Huang: College of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
Yuanying Peng: College of Arts and Sciences, Lewis University, Romeoville, IL 60446, USA
Wende Yan: College of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
Tianyi Yan: College of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
Xiaocui Liang: College of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
Junjie Lei: College of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
Xiaoyong Chen: College of Arts and Sciences, Governors State University, University Park, IL 60484, USA
Yaqin Qi: Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 14, 1-15

Abstract: Urban forests provide essential ecosystem services, including improving soil health, sequestering carbon (C), and supporting biodiversity. However, the effects of anthropogenic litter and root management on soil biogeochemical processes in urban environments remain poorly understood. This study applied the Detritus Inputs and Removal Treatment (DIRT) framework to examine how aboveground and belowground organic inputs influence soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), soil water content (SWC), and enzymatic activities in subtropical urban camphor tree forests in China. Six treatments were implemented: litter removal (LR), litter addition (LA), root exclusion (RE), combined litter and root removal (LR + RE), combined litter addition and root exclusion (LA + RE), and an undisturbed litter control (LC). The results showed that the LA treatment significantly enhanced SOC, TN, SWC, and key soil enzyme activities (protease, catalase, and urease) compared to the LC, highlighting the crucial role of litter in enhancing soil fertility and microbial functioning. These elevated enzyme activities suggest intensified microbial nutrient cycling and metabolic activity in response to organic matter inputs. In contrast, the combined LR + RE treatment reduced SOC and enzyme activities but unexpectedly increased TN, indicating disrupted nutrient cycling, possibly due to accelerated microbial nitrogen mineralization and decomposition of existing soil organic matter in the absence of fresh carbon inputs. The LA treatment also showed the highest carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio, reflecting a carbon-enriched environment that may favor long-term carbon stabilization. Additionally, SWC was most improved under the LA + RE treatment, suggesting its potential for enhancing soil moisture retention in urban settings. These findings underscore the complementary roles of litter and root inputs in maintaining soil health and biogeochemical balance in urban forests. The study provides insights into enzyme-mediated soil processes under varying organic input regimes and highlights the value of targeted organic matter management to enhance urban ecosystem services.

Keywords: urban soils; carbon dynamics; nitrogen cycling; enzyme activities; litter and root management; Cinnamomum camphora (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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