The difference of soil properties between pure and mixed Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantations depends on tree species

Abstract Second generation Chinese fir plantation has occurred the problem of site deterioration, which is usually supposed to be solved by mixed plantation. Here, we determined the physicochemical properties of six soil layers in pure and three types of mixed Chinese fir plantation stands (admixed species: Michelia macclurei, Pinus massoniana, and Phyllostachys heterocycla) in southeast China. The Ph. heterocycla is a bamboo. The effects of plantation type and depth on soil properties and variations among different depths were analyzed by two-way ANOVA with Tukey’s test. Non-parametric Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to analyze the soil property differences between pure and mixed plantations. The soil organic matter and alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen of mixture of Chinese fir and Ph. heterocycla were significantly higher than those of other plantation types (p