Correlations among soil microenvironment, rhizosphere microbiome and Camptotheca acuminata growth in mixed stands with Taxus chinensis var. mairei
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Camptotheca acuminata Dence. ( C. acuminata ) is an endemic tree species in China with considerable ornamental and medicinal importance. Mixed planting of C. acuminata with compatible tree species helps enhance stand stability and supports the sustainable restoration of C. acuminata resources. This study performed field experiments to make a comparison between pure forest and mixed forest of C. acuminata and Taxus chinensis var. mairei in terms of tree growth performance, photosynthetic physiological characteristics, soil physicochemical properties, and rhizosphere microbial communities. Mixed planting significantly promoted growth: the five-year average tree height and diameter at breast height (DBH) of C. acuminata were 15.05 and 9.24% higher in mixed stands than in pure stands ( p < 0.05), respectively. During the growing season, the monthly net Photosynth etic rate of C. acuminata leaves in mixed stands was consistently higher than that in pure stands. In addition, mixed planting increased soil total nitrogen by 48.33% and obviously elevated the contents of soil organic carbon, available phosphorus, and available potassium ( p < 0.05). Mixed planting also significantly improved the diversity of soil bacterial and fungal communities, enriched the nutrient-mineralizing phyla Proteobacteria and Ascomycota, and reduced the abundance of oligotrophic Acidobacteria. The optimized rhizosphere microbial community improved soil nutrient availability, further enhanced leaf photosynthetic capacity, and ultimately promoted the growth of C. acuminata . This study provides valuable insights for improving the reforestation and plantation management strategies for wild C. acuminata .
Authors: Sen Shi, Kexin Shao, YuChen Zhang, Shuping Yu, Yun Guo
Institution: Weinan Normal University
Language: English
Subfield: Soil Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDGs: Life on land, Zero hunger
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,353
OpenAlex ID: W7202203706