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Abstract

 

 

Ponder, F. Jr. and F. Eivazi. 2008.  Activities of five enzymes following soil disturbance and weed control in a Missouri forest. JEMREST 5:68-76.

 

 

Forest disturbances associated with harvesting activities can affect soil properties including enzyme activity and overall soil quality. The activities of five enzymes (acid and alkaline phosphatases, beta-glucosidase, aryl-sulfatase, and beta-glucosominidase) were measured after 8 years in soil from clearcut and uncut control plots of a Missouri oak-hickory (Quercus L. – Carya  Nutt.) forest. Understory treatments included subplots with and without weeds and uncut control plots. Enzyme activity was significantly (p < 0.05) affected by the presence or absence of weeds. Among the five enzymes measured, the activity for acid phosphatase, beta-glucosidase, and aryl-sulfatase were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in soil from subplots without weeds than in subplots with weeds. Activities for alkaline phosphatase and beta-glucosaminidase were higher for subplots with weeds than without weeds, but differences were not significant. Except for acid phosphatase, enzyme activity did not differ between subplots without weeds and uncut control plots. Soil phosphorus was higher in subplots with weeds than in subplots without weeds. Neither soil pH or soil C differed among understory treatments, but there were significant correlations between them and enzyme activity. Also, there were correlations among enzymes. Reduced enzyme activity conserves organically bound nutrients such as N, P, and S in soil due to the lack of mineralization processes which could lead to critical nutrient losses in forest ecosystems.

 

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