Soil biological activity under different land-uses in Leyte Philippines

Reinhold  Jahn,; Joachim  Sauerborn,; Carsten  Marohn,

Soil biological activity under different land-uses in Leyte Philippines

Carsten Marohn | Reinhold Jahn | Joachim Sauerborn

Abstract:

Marohn, C., R. Jahn and J. Sauerborn. 2006. Soil biological activity under different land-uses in Leyte, Philippines. Ann. Trop. Res. 28(1): 1-13 On seven sites in Western Leyte, Philippines, different land-uses, namely reforestation with indigenous tree species ('rain forestation'), reforestation with exotic tree specie Gmelinaarborea, and traditional fallow/ grassland use were compared with respect to soil biological activity. Analysed parameters were Basal Respiration (BR), microbial carbon (Substrate-Induced Respiration method, C,";'" SIR) and leaf litter decomposition. Correlations between BR, SIR, metabolic quotient (qCQ2), soil organic carbon (C0,g), soil N (NT) and pH were assessed. BR and Cm;'" SIR as well as the metabolic quotient qCO2 (BR/SIR) proved to be sensitive parameters and the methods gave reproducible values to distinguish sites and land-uses in most cases. However, due to differences among fallow/ grassland treatments, a uniform tendency between these and rainforestation was not observed. On the other hand, BR and C,,,;. STR were significantly higher under Gmelina than under either of the other land-uses. Correlations between Parameters were strongest for BR vs. i;:: and BR vs. pH as well as for C . SIR vs. C and qCO2 vs. Corg·

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