Abstract
Long-term management of Pinus massoniana monoculture faces significant challenges, including low productivity, nutrient depletion, and weakened ecological functions. Alnus formosana , a native nitrogen-fixing species in southern China, can increase soil fertility and accelerates nutrient cycling. However, the impact of its mixed cultivation with P. massoniana on ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) remains unclear. This study assessed tree growth, soil characteristics, enzyme activity, and EMF in monocultures and mixed forests at 1:2, 1:1, and 2:1 ratios (APP, AP, and AAP). Results showed that mixed-species treatment significantly increased tree growth index (TGI) of A. formosana but decreased that of P. massoniana ( P <0.05) . In mixed forests, A. formosana had higher diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height (TH), crown width (CW), clear bole height (CBH) and tree volume (V) than P. massoniana , and exhibited stronger competitive effects (Slope-A=1.12∼1.27) on DBH and CW compared to P. massoniana (Slope-P=0.65∼0.96). Soil quality index (SQI) and EMF significantly increased in mixed forests than in monocultures, as evidenced by higher soil C- and N-acquisition enzyme activities and related nutrients. In mixed forests, TGI was positively correlated with SQI of A. formosana but negatively correlated with that of P. massoniana , which led to the growth of A. formosana being more sensitive to available nutrients (nitrate nitrogen, available phosphorus, and ammonium nitrogen), while the growth of P. massoniana was more reliant on soil total nutrients (total nitrogen and total phosphorus). Notably, A. formosana exhibited the highest TGI, SQI, and EMF in the AAP treatment. Thus, the 2:1 (AAP) mixing ratio is recommended for the scientific management of P. massoniana and A. formosana mixed forests.
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Claims 13
Claim · model-written summary
Mixed-species planting significantly increased the tree growth index of Alnus formosana.
- Taxon
- A. formosana
Alnus formosanae0 - Treatment
- mixed-species treatmente0
- Outcome
- tree growth index (TGI)e0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mixed-species treatment significantly increased tree growth index (TGI) of A. formosana but decreased that of P. massoniana”
Claim · model-written summary
Mixed-species planting decreased the tree growth index of Pinus massoniana.
- Taxon
- P. massoniana
Pinus massonianae0 - Treatment
- mixed-species treatmente0
- Outcome
- tree growth index (TGI)e0
- Direction
- decreasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mixed-species treatment significantly increased tree growth index (TGI) of A. formosana but decreased that of P. massoniana”
Claim · model-written summary
In mixed forests A. formosana had higher diameter at breast height, tree height and crown width than P. massoniana.
- Taxon
- A. formosanaAlnus formosanae0
- Outcome
- diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height (TH), crown width (CW)e0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- P. massonianae0
- Setting
- mixed forestse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In mixed forests, A. formosana had higher diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height (TH), crown width (CW), clear bole height (CBH) and tree volume (V) than P. massoniana”
Claim · model-written summary
In mixed forests A. formosana had higher clear bole height and tree volume than P. massoniana.
- Taxon
- A. formosanaAlnus formosanae0
- Outcome
- clear bole height (CBH) and tree volume (V)e0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- P. massonianae0
- Setting
- mixed forestse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In mixed forests, A. formosana had higher diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height (TH), crown width (CW), clear bole height (CBH) and tree volume (V) than P. massoniana”
Claim · model-written summary
A. formosana exerted stronger competitive effects on DBH and CW (slope 1.12 to 1.27) than P. massoniana (slope 0.65 to 0.96).
- Taxon
- A. formosanaAlnus formosanae0
- Outcome
- competitive effectse1
- Direction
- strongere1
- Value
- Slope-A=1.12∼1.27e1
- Qualifier
- Slope-P=0.65∼0.96e1
- Comparator
- P. massonianae1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A. formosana had higher”
e1“exhibited stronger competitive effects (Slope-A=1.12∼1.27) on DBH and CW compared to P. massoniana (Slope-P=0.65∼0.96)”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil quality index and ecosystem multifunctionality were significantly higher in mixed forests than in monocultures.
- Taxon
- Alnus formosana and Pinus massonianaPinus massonianaAlnus formosanat0
- Treatment
- mixed forestse0
- Outcome
- Soil quality index (SQI) and EMFe0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Comparator
- monoculturese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Alnus formosana and Pinus massoniana”
e0“Soil quality index (SQI) and EMF significantly increased in mixed forests than in monocultures”
Claim · model-written summary
Mixed forests had higher soil C- and N-acquisition enzyme activities and related nutrients.
- Taxon
- Alnus formosana and Pinus massonianaPinus massonianaAlnus formosanat0
- Outcome
- soil C- and N-acquisition enzyme activitiese0
- Direction
- highere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Alnus formosana and Pinus massoniana”
e0“higher soil C- and N-acquisition enzyme activities and related nutrients”
Claim · model-written summary
In mixed forests, the tree growth index was positively correlated with the soil quality index of A. formosana.
- Taxon
- A. formosanaAlnus formosanae0
- Outcome
- TGIe0
- Direction
- positively correlatede0
- Qualifier
- SQIe0
- Setting
- mixed forestse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In mixed forests, TGI was positively correlated with SQI of A. formosana but negatively correlated with that of P. massoniana”
Claim · model-written summary
In mixed forests, the tree growth index was negatively correlated with the soil quality index of P. massoniana.
- Taxon
- P. massonianaPinus massonianae0
- Outcome
- TGIe0
- Direction
- negatively correlatede0
- Qualifier
- SQIe0
- Setting
- mixed forestse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In mixed forests, TGI was positively correlated with SQI of A. formosana but negatively correlated with that of P. massoniana”
Claim · model-written summary
The growth of A. formosana was more sensitive to available nutrients (nitrate nitrogen, available phosphorus, ammonium nitrogen).
- Taxon
- A. formosanaAlnus formosanae0
- Outcome
- growthe0
- Qualifier
- more sensitive to available nutrients (nitrate nitrogen, available phosphorus, and ammonium nitrogen)e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the growth of A. formosana being more sensitive to available nutrients (nitrate nitrogen, available phosphorus, and ammonium nitrogen)”
Claim · model-written summary
The growth of P. massoniana relied more on soil total nutrients (total nitrogen and total phosphorus).
- Taxon
- P. massonianaPinus massonianae0
- Outcome
- growthe0
- Qualifier
- more reliant on soil total nutrients (total nitrogen and total phosphorus)e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the growth of P. massoniana was more reliant on soil total nutrients (total nitrogen and total phosphorus)”
Claim · model-written summary
A. formosana had the highest tree growth index, soil quality index and ecosystem multifunctionality in the AAP (2:1) treatment.
- Taxon
- A. formosanaAlnus formosanae0
- Treatment
- AAP treatmente0
- Outcome
- TGI, SQI, and EMFe0
- Direction
- higheste0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A. formosana exhibited the highest TGI, SQI, and EMF in the AAP treatment”
Claim · model-written summary
A 2:1 (AAP) mixing ratio is recommended for managing P. massoniana and A. formosana mixed forests.
- Taxon
- P. massoniana and A. formosanaPinus massonianaAlnus formosanae0
- Outcome
- 2:1 (AAP) mixing ratioe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the 2:1 (AAP) mixing ratio is recommended for the scientific management of P. massoniana and A. formosana mixed forests”