Effects of transforming multiple ecosystem types to plantations on soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations at the global scale

Purpose To provide useful knowledges for plantation management, we assessed how the transforming of the different ecosystem types to tree plantation may affect soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) concentrations and what are the driving factors of ecosystem transformation effects. Methods We synthesized 4262 pairwise observations collected from 366 peer-reviewed publications using meta-analysis method to assess the effects of ecosystem transformation to plantation on soil C, N, and P concentrations. Results We found that (1) ecosystem transformation effects on soil C, N, and P concentrations significantly varied with former ecosystem types, with positive effects of transforming croplands, deserts, and grasslands to plantations on total C (TC), soil organic C (SOC), dissolved organic C (DOC), total N (TN), and/or available N (AN), but negative effects of transforming primary and secondary forests to plantations on TC, SOC, TN, AN, and/or available P (AP); (2) the concentrations of soil dissolved organic N (DON), ammonium (NH4+), and nitrate (NO3-) were not affected by ecosystem transformation regardless of the former ecosystem types; and (3) ecosystem transformation effects were impacted by a variety of moderator variables, with climate, mycorrhizal association, stand age, and soil moisture and pH the most important ones. Conclusion Transforming croplands, deserts, and grasslands to plantations will increase soil C, N, and/or P concentrations, but transforming primary and secondary forests to plantations had opposite effects. Our results help to better understand ecosystem transformation effects on soil C and nutrient concentrations, and will be useful for guiding afforestation and sustainable plantation managements under global environment change scenario.

Automated summary

The transforming of different ecosystem types to tree plantation has significant effects on soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations. Transforming croplands, deserts, and grasslands to plantations increases soil C, N, and/or P concentrations, while transforming primary and secondary forests to plantations has opposite effects.