The influence of the forest canopy on nutrient cycling

Rates of key soil processes involved in recycling of nutrients in forests are governed by temperature and moisture conditions and by the chemical and physical nature of the litter. The forest canopy influences all of these factors and thus has a large influence on nutrient cycling. The increased availability of nutrients in soil in clearcuts illustrates how the canopy retains nutrients (especially N) on site, both by storing nutrients in foliage and through the steady input of available C in litter. The idea that faster decomposition is responsible for the flush of nitrate in clearcuts has not been supported by experimental evidence. Soil N availability increases in canopy gaps as small as 0.1 ha, so natural disturbances or partial harvesting practices that increase the complexity of the canopy by creating gaps will similarly increase the spatial variability in soil N cycling and availability within the forest. Canopy characteristics affect the amount and composition of leaf litter produced, which largely determines the amount of nutrients to be recycled and the resulting nutrient availability. Although effects of tree species on soil nutrient availability were thought to be brought about largely through differences in the decomposition rate of their foliar litter, recent studies indicate that the effect of tree species can be better predicted from the mass and nutrient content of litter produced, hence total nutrient return, than from litter decay rate. The greater canopy complexity in mixed species forests creates similar heterogeneity in nutritional characteristics of the forest floor. Site differences in slope position, parent material and soil texture lead to variation in species composition and productivity of forests, and thus in the nature and amount of litter produced. Through this positive feedback, the canopy accentuates inherent differences in site fertility.