[Soil microorganisms, nutrients and enzyme activity of Larix kaempferi plantation under different ages in mountainous region of eastern Liaoning Province, China].

We studied the community of soil microorganisms, enzyme activity and soil nutrients under 11-, 20-, 34-and 47-year-old Larix kaempferi plantations in mountainous region of eastern Liaoning Province to discuss the soil biological properties of L. kaempferi plantations of different stand ages and their relationships with soil nutrients. The results showed that the indexes reflecting soil micro-organisms, enzyme activity and soil nutrients of L. kaempferi plantations were the highest under the 11- or 47-year-old stand and the lowest in the 20- or 34-year-old stand. Soil productivity appeared in a decline trend with the increasing stand age, and the changes of soil microbial community structure and enzyme activity were responsive to soil degradation. The difference of fungi community was more noticeable than that of bacteria community among the plantations with different stand ages. The results of CCA showed soil nutrient and pH had no effect on seasonal difference of community structure, but had effects on community, structure among different stand ages. The total N, organic carbon, C/N, available nitrogen, exchangeable Mg2+ and pH had greater effects on bacteria community, while available P, total K and pH had greater effect on fungi community among different age forests. The main T-RFs of bacteria and fungi had higher correlation with N and P, and the fungi community had higher correlation with organic carbon and K than bacteria community. The microor-ganism community of the 11- and 47-year-old stands had greater correlation with soil nutrients and enzyme activity than that of 20- and 34-year-old stands. Consequently, soil organisms, in particular soil fungi, could be used to indicate soil degradation.