Spatial variations and pools of non-structural carbohydrates in young Catalpa bungei undergoing different fertilization regimes.

Despite the importance of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) for growth and survival in woody plants, we know little about whole-tree NSC storage. Here, Catalpa bungei trees fertilized using different schedules, including water and fertilizer integration, hole application, and no fertilization, were used to measure the spatial variations of sugar, starch, and NSC concentrations in the leaf, branch, stem, bark, and root. By calculating the volume of whole-tree NSC pools and the contribution of distinct organs, we were also able to compare the storage under various fertilization regimes. We found that the spatial distribution patterns of each organ undergoing different fertilization regimes were remarkably similar. Height-related increases in the sugar and NSC concentrations of the leaf and bark were observed. The concentrations of sugar and NSC in the branch did not appear to vary longitudinally or horizontally. The sugar and NSC concentrations in the stem fluctuated with height, first falling and then rising. The coarse root contained larger amounts of NSC components in comparison to fine root. Contrary to no fertilization, fertilization enhanced the distribution ratio of the leaf, branch, and stem NSC pools while decreasing the distribution ratio of the root NSC pool. Particularly, the addition of fertilizer and water significantly increased the biomass of the organs, enhancing the carbon sink of each organ and whole-tree in comparison to other fertilization regimes. Our main goal was to strengthen the empirical groundwork for comprehending the functional significance of NSC allocation and stock variations at the organ-level of C. bungei trees.

Soil microbial communities response to different fertilization regimes in young Catalpa bungei plantation.

Fertilization is a fundamental aspect of global forest management that enhances forest productivity and drastically affects soil microbial communities. However, few studies have investigated the differences and similarities in the responses of below-ground microbial communities to different fertilization schemes. The effects of fertilization regimes on the composition and diversity of soil fungal and bacterial communities were investigated in a young Catalpa bungei plantation in Shandong Province, Eastern China. Soil microbial communities were assessed undergoing three types of fertilization: (i) no fertilization (CK), (ii) hole fertilization (HF), and (iii) the integration of water and fertilizer (WF). We further analyzed the effects of soil depth (i.e., 0-20 and 20-40 cm) on the structure of soil microbial communities. Our results indicated that the diversity of bacteria (e.g., Chao1 and Shannon indices) reduced undergoing fertilization, and WF had a higher negative impact on bacterial diversity than HF. A lower bacterial diversity was observed in the subsoil compared to the topsoil. In contrast to bacterial diversity, fungal diversity had a slightly increasing trend in the fertilized environments. The primary bacterial function was metabolism, which was independent of fertilization or soil depth. Among fungal functional guilds, symbiotic soil fungi decreased obviously in the fertilized stand, whereas saprotrophic fungi increased slowly. According to the structural equation models (SEM), the diversity and composition of bacterial and fungal communities were jointly regulated by soil nutrients (including N and P contents) directly affected by fertilization and soil layer. These findings could be used to develop management practices in temperate forests and help sustain soil microbial diversity to maintain long-term ecosystem function and services.