During the debate on forest management it was stated that decomposing spruce wood left on fertile soils decreases their pH and influences pH of the soil water. Intuitively I would expect no effect or the opposite effect (increase of the pH) but I can't find any literature on the subject. Does decomposing wood influence soil pH? What is the process behind? Do tree/wood species differ in their effect (some increase and some decrease soil pH)? Are there any published papers on that subject?
In the investigations of some collegues, they found a higher base saturation in the vicinity of standing dead (decaying) Norway spruce trees, but this was not correlated with a higher or lower soil pH (Ref.: Chemical properties of decaying wood in an old-growth spruce forest and effects on soil chemistry; Bade • Jacob •
Leuschner • Hauck, Biogeochemistry (2015) 122:1–13). But under different, nemoral site conditions or stands of decidiouus trees, this might be different. Greetings.
Yes , I feel decomposing trees would influence soil pH in ultimate terms , depending upon the age of the trees influencing the degree of lignification . It is the age of trees that will let us know the ratio celluloses/hemicelluloses -to- lignin ratio . Decomposition of wood will bring both types of effect , direct effect of decomposition through release of organic acids and indirect effect through profound effect on soil microbial population . but , eventually the proportion of lignin content will decide the buffering of pH value?
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