Soil physical and chemical characteristics of different depths in semi-natural mixed larch-spruce-fir at different stand densities

Effects of stand density on soil physical and chemical properties were studied in eight semi-natural mixed larch-spruce-fir stands. The results showed that soil physical properties were significantly different at different soil depth in the same stand density. Except with soil total nitrogen, there was no significant difference for other nutrient concentrations between soil depths. Soil nutrient concentrations did not have significant change rule at different stand densities and declining trend in a certain density. At the density of 1 058 trees·hm-2, soil nutrient concentrations decreased but without significant difference which showed that soil nutrients were not affected by current stand densities in the experimental area. Replanting may be appropriate to increase the use efficiency of forestland.