Impact of Ecological Succession and Reforestation on Soil Properties and Microbial Dynamics in a Mediterranean Forest

Copyright © 2025 LuciaSantorufoetal.AppliedandEnvironmentalSoilSciencepublishedbyJohnWiley&SonsLtd.+isisan open accessarticleunderthetermsoftheCreativeCommonsAttributionLicense,whichpermitsuse,distributionand reproduction inanymedium,providedtheoriginalworkisproperlycited. Succession isthegradualchangeinthecompositionofacommunityoforganismsovertimethatcauseschangesinsoilproperties. In Mediterraneanareaswheresoilsaresubjectedtoerosion,reforestationisoftenapplied,impactingtheecologicalsuccessionand the soilproperties.+emaingoalsofthepresentresearchwere(i)toevaluatechangesinsoilabioticandbioticpropertiesalong successional stagesand(ii)toverifytheimpactofreforestationonsoilpropertiesofthematurestage.Toachievetheaims,the research wasperformedinsideaMediterraneanforestincludingpatchesofzonesatdi6erentsuccessionalstages(early:E, intermediate: Iandnatural-mature:N-M)andreforestedzones(reforested-pine:R-P).+esoilswereanalysedforpH,water content, totalnitrogencontentandorganicmatteramount.Additionally,soilmicrobialandfungalbiomasses,hydrolase,de- hydrogenase and -glucosidase activities,andphytotoxicitywerealsoevaluated.Alongthesuccession,increasesinorganicmatter, nutrient andwatercontentoccurred,withthehighestvaluesobservedattheN-Mstage.Similarly,microbialbiomassandactivity were fromtwo-tothreefoldhigherattheN-MthanattheEstage;bycontrast,soilphytotoxicitywastwofoldhigherattheEthan at theN-Mstage.Organicmatterandwatercontentswerethemainfactorsin;uencingthesoilmicrobialandfungalbiomassesas well astheenzymaticactivities.AttheR-Pstage,thecontentsofsoilwater,organicmatterandNdecreased,leadingtothe reduction ofthemicrobialbiomassandactivitiesascomparedtoIandN-Mstages.Attheinvestigatedarea,reforestation, modifying thesoilabioticpropertiesanddecreasingthemicrobialabundanceandactivities,interruptedtheevolutionoftheplant community.