Transitional areas between two or more different biomes—ecotones—are clearly visible due to the sudden changes in vegetation structures and patterns. However, much is still unknown about the crucial soil factors that control such vegetational changes across ecotones and how different soil properties vary across ecotones. In this study, we try to understand the spatial variation in soil properties across a clearly defined ecotone from a forest stand to meadow field at the Training Forest Enterprise (T.F.E), Masaryk Forest Křtiny, Czechia. Thirteen sampling sites were selected: six in the forest region, six in the meadow and one in the ecotone zone between forest and meadow. Soil samples were taken at 5 cm below the soil surface once every month from April to November. All the collected soil samples were examined for minimal air capacity, actual and potential soil reaction and maximum capillary water. The results showed a pattern of soil acidity decreasing from the forest stand towards the meadow field but that increased sharply at the ecotone zone. The water holding capacity showed a decreasing trend approaching the ecotone zone from the meadow region and markedly decreased from the meadow site closest to the ecotone zone. The minimum air capacity showed an increasing trend from the forest region but suddenly declined at the ecotone region.

D- and most L-enantiomers of carbohydrates and carbohydrate-containing compounds occur naturally in plants and other organisms. These enantiomers play many important roles in plants including building up biomass, defense against pathogens, herbivory, abiotic stress, and plant nutrition. Carbohydrate enantiomers are also precursors of many plant compounds that significantly contribute to plant aroma. Microorganisms, insects, and other animals utilize both types of carbohydrate enantiomers, but their biomass and excrements are dominated by D-enantiomers. The aim of this work was to review the current knowledge about carbohydrate enantiomers in ecosystems with respect to both their metabolism in plants and occurrence in soils, and to identify critical knowledge gaps and directions for future research. Knowledge about the significance of D- versus L-enantiomers of carbohydrates in soils is rare. Determining the mechanism of genetic regulation of D- and L-carbohydrate metabolism in plants with respect to pathogen and pest control and ecosystem interactions represent the knowledge gaps and a direction for future research.

Ecotones are considered as unique environments. The concepts of edge effect and ecotone species (flora and fauna) are widely used. Considering the fact that the majority of the species found in ecotones are usually at their physiologically determined limits of distribution, how they react to global climate changes becomes crucial. Ecotones are reputed to be more biologically diverse than areas close to them, and therefore possesses a high conservation value, yet little is known on how soil properties vary across ecotones. In this paper, we firstly highlighted the roles ecotones play in assessing the effect on global climate change, the mediatory role they play in the movement of material (water and nutrients) into and out of the region. Secondly, we reviewed studies on how soil properties change across ecotones and it is worthwhile to note that soil properties tend to differ across various ecotones (e.g. increasing pH and decreasing P & N across forest–glade ecotones, decreasing pH across ancient–recent forest ecotones) in a manner that defines the character of the ecotones existing.

Phytohormones, similar to soil enzymes, are synthesized and secreted into the soil environment by fungi and microorganisms. Phytohormones are involved in regulating microbial community activity in the rhizosphere. This paper examines how auxins, cytokinins, ethephon and chlorocholine chloride affect the activity of native soil proteases in the organo-mineral horizon of an alpine meadow. In the meadow habitat, native soil proteases were inhibited by auxins whereas the effect of cytokinins on these enzymes was not statistically significant. A similar inhibitory effect on the activity of proteases was shown for ethephon and chlorocholine chloride, both of which also inhibited the activity of native soil proteases in the alpine meadow soil. Overall, the inhibitory effect of phytohormones on the activity of native protease activity may affect plant nutrition by retarding the nitrogen cycle in the soil. This work contributes to our understanding of the influence of substances produced by the rhizosphere that can actively participate in the activity of soil microorganisms and consequently influence the soil nitrogen cycle.

In this study, we used a generalised linear mixed-effects model (GLMER) to establish a predictive pedotransfer function defining the relationship between forest soil bulk density and total organic carbon. More than 950 soil samples were obtained from four forested areas with a wide range of bedrock (limestone, loess, crystalline volcanic, sandstone, alluvial loam, polygenic loam and transported materials rich in organic carbon) and soil types (Leptosols, Cambisols, Fluvisols, Podzols and Technosols). Model validation was performed by testing against 10% of the data randomly selected from the original dataset (10% dataset) and an independent dataset from the Czech national forest inventory (NFI2 dataset). The GLMER including sample origin locality as random effect displayed a highly accurate predictive capacity. Subsequent analysis avoided model simplification by excluding sample origin and retaining the global GLMER only. For all samples, the final model covered a range from 0.16 to 27.70% for total organic carbon and from 0.27 to 1.94 g cm− 3 for bulk density. Model residuals based on laboratory values were symmetrical with a median value just 0.09 g cm− 3 higher. While validation with the 10% dataset confirmed model parameter validity with high accuracy, validation using the NFI2 dataset indicated slight discrepancies, possibly due to differences in sampling method used. Individual GLMs fitted both validation datasets better than the global GLMER; however, Wilcoxon tests showed better consistency in the original model on the 10% validation data. Consequently, we suggest the global GLMER may prove more suitable for direct use in expressing bulk density from total organic carbon. The pedotransfer functions produced, particularly that based on global GLMER, can be used to express bulk density via total organic carbon content, or vice versa, with high accuracy. While based on a wide range of bedrock/soil types, further studies may be needed in other regions to validate the model for general application. We developed a highly accurate model for calculating forest soil bulk density against total organic carbon. Model extension for total organic carbon was within 0.15–24% intervals and 0.30–1.73 for bulk density. The pedotransfer function can be generalised for forest soils with varying bedrock types and soil classifications. Text: In stony forest soils, calculating bulk density, a key soil property for quantifying soil nutrient storage, can be challenging. We used a generalised linear mixed-effects model to develop a pedotransfer function expressing the relationship between total soil organic carbon and bulk density in temperate forest soils.