The cultivation of Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook. (Chinese fir) plays a crucial role in enhancing ecological security through water resource preservation and carbon sequestration in China. The biotic and abiotic environmental conditions vary across different stages of plantation, thereby influencing soil nutrient levels and microbial dynamics. However, the interconnection between the soil nutrient cycle and microbial communities within Chinese fir plantations throughout their entire life cycle remains inadequately understood. In this study, conducted across various management stages of Chinese fir plantations in China (including the juvenile stage, first thinning stage, second thinning stage, mature stage, and over-mature stage), we examined the associations among soil organic carbon, soil physicochemical properties, soil enzyme activities, and soil microbial dynamics. Our results revealed that forest management practices significantly modify soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities across all management stages. Specifically, the concentrations of total soil carbon, soil organic carbon, and soil microbial biomass carbon were notably higher in the over-mature stage compared to other management stages. At the genus level, the five highest contributors belonged to Subgroup2, AD3, Xanthobacteraceae, Elsterales, and Acidobacteriales for the bacterial community. For the fungal community at the genus level, the five highest contributors belonged to Ascomycota, Serendipita, Saitozyma, Mortieralla, and Venturiales. Moreover, anthropogenic thinning activities during the management phase substantially altered both stand and soil environments, as well as the structural characteristics of soil microbial communities. Soil cellulase, soil electrical conductivity (EC), and soil available phosphorus (AP) emerged as key factors influencing the relative abundance of major fungal communities, whereas soil total nitrogen, EC, and AP were identified as critical factors affecting the relative abundance of major bacterial phyla. More microbiological groups increased significantly in the juvenile stage and over-mature stage. Our findings elucidate the intricate relationships between the soil nutrient cycle and soil microbiological dynamics across various forest management stages within Chinese fir plantations.

Silicon (Si) and calcium (Ca), as elements abundant in the Earth’s crust, are closely related to plant growth and stress resistance and have similar roles. Understanding the stoichiometry of Si and Ca can provide more insight into the mechanical and stress resistance of plants, as well as their preferences for the absorption and use of Si and Ca. Here, we measured the content of Si and Ca in the leaves of the dominant tree species located in the Mount Wuyi National Park, with an elevation ranging from 800 m to 1700 m, in an attempt to reveal changes in the Si and Ca content and ratio in the leaves along the altitude, as well as their possible relationships with environmental factors and phylogeny. The results indicated that the leaf Si and the leaf Si/Ca decreased, while the leaf Ca increased significantly with the increase in elevation. Changes in environmental factors induced by variations in elevation affected the silicon and calcium stoichiometry characteristics of the leaves, either directly or indirectly. Specifically, the mean annual precipitation, soil available silicon, soil organic matter, and soil bulk density accounted for most of the variations in leaf silicon and calcium. The leaf silicon and calcium stoichiometry was phylogenetically conservative, suggesting more similar characteristics among closely related tree species. Structural equation modeling and variation partitioning indicated that phylogeny might be more important than environmental factors in influencing leaf Si and Ca stoichiometry. Additionally, the shared effects of environmental factors and taxonomic levels indicated changes in the forest community, and the differential responses of different functional types due to elevation variation also affected the altitudinal patterns of leaf Si and Ca stoichiometry.

Silicon (Si) plays a crucial role in forest ecosystem functioning by influencing plant nutrient cycling, stress resistance, and biogeochemical processes; however, how Si and phytolith characteristics respond to environmental gradients in subtropical forests remains poorly understood. This study investigated the variations in silicon and phytolith characteristics in the leaves of Castanopsis fargesii across different elevations in the Guoyan Mountain Nature Reserve (Nanping City, China). It aimed to identify the dominant phytolith morphologies and their proportions, and to examine the effects of elevation, leaf nutrient elements, and soil physicochemical properties on these parameters. Plots were established at 100 m elevation intervals within the natural distribution range of Castanopsis fargesii forests in the Guoyan Mountain Nature Reserve, covering elevations from 600 to 900 m. Fresh leaves, leaf litter, and soil samples (0–20 cm depth) were collected to analyze fresh leaf silicon content and phytolith contents, leaf nutrient elements, and soil physicochemical properties. From 600 to 900 m elevation, silicon content in fresh leaves, leaf litter, SCDI, and phytolith content all exhibited consistent patterns, with significantly higher values at 900 m than at 600 m. The dominant phytolith morphologies in leaves were elongate, flabellate, acute, trapeziform psilate, and blocky. At higher elevations (900 m), the proportions of elongate, acute, and trapeziform psilate phytoliths were relatively higher, while flabellate and blocky forms were more abundant at lower elevations (600 m). However, elevation had minimal influence on the overall proportions of dominant phytolith morphologies. Leaf calcium (Ca) and soil properties—including available calcium, organic matter, and available silicon—were identified as major factors affecting fresh leaf silicon content and phytoliths. Elevation, leaf nutrient elements, and soil physicochemical properties significantly influenced silicon and phytoliths in Castanopsis fargesii leaves. Certain phytolith morphologies in the leaves may be indicative of environmental changes.