Articles

Impact of small-scale variability of soil pH on the vegetation composition in a mixed hardwood stand, East-Flanders Belgium

Authors
  • GH. Zahedi
  • N. Lust
  • M. Van Meirvenne
  • L. Nachtergale
  • B. Muys

Abstract

1 Soil  pH of the forest stand varies widely for the different depths and is very  important in    determining the forest vegetation types. Main aim of the study was to  examine the    correspondence between forest vegetation composition and small-scale  heterogeneity in pH    by several statistical methods.    2 Ordination using DCA (Detrended Correspondence Analysis) found clear  distinction in the    vegetation structure and pointed pH differences as the main factor  explaining the variability    (Eigenvalue= 0.76 for the first three axis).    3 Clustering analysis by TWINSPAN resulted into four major vegetation  groups. Most of these    divisions were explained by differences in pH.    4 The spatial dependence of the pH at ectorganic and top mineral layers was  examined by    geostatistics analysis. All variograms showed a similar well-defined  structure. The structure    of variograms accounted for 95 - 100 % of the spatial dependence for the pH  at all depths.    All variograms represented the same range of 50 m for the pH at ectorganic  horizons, but the    distance of 65 and 72 m was calculated respectively for the pH at 0 - 5 and  5 -15 cm depth.    All variograms increased to the maximum lag over which they were  calculated.    5 The raster image of pH variability resulting from Kriging interpolation  coincided significantly    with the raster image of vegetation composition. It was concluded that it  is possible to predict    the pH value based on the vegetation composition or vice versa. Predicting  the vegetation    type from pH value is only possible for the range of the distance of the pH  variogram.

How to Cite:

Zahedi, G. & Lust, N. & Van Meirvenne, M. & Nachtergale, L. & Muys, B., (2000) “Impact of small-scale variability of soil pH on the vegetation composition in a mixed hardwood stand, East-Flanders Belgium”, Silva Gandavensis 65. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/sg.v65i0.811

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Published on
03 Oct 2000
Peer Reviewed
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